Fire and Water
by remuslives23
Summary: Remus Lupin-an alternative story. From first trip on Hogwarts Express to the Final Battle. Starts off slow but please stick with it-it's worth it.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Remus heard the sound of giggling and he looked up from his book, seeing two girls entering the compartment, followed by a dark haired boy with a large nose. All three sat opposite him on the bench seat, the boy speaking quietly to the giggling, red haired girl beside him. As she responded, Remus saw her green eyes sparkling with excitement. The brunette was silent, turning to look out the window as the train rattled along the tracks, carrying the eleven year olds to their first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Remus looked at the second girl interestedly. She was still staring out the window. Her dark brown hair hung down to her shoulders, partially hiding her face. The sun shone on it, and Remus saw a flash of red. He heard a tapping, and saw her foot moving nervously, up and down. Suddenly realising he was staring at the newcomers, he put his head back down, and tried to resume his reading.

He was distracted again after only a minute, this time by the two boys who were sitting on his side of the carriage, further along on the seat. They were laughing and talking loudly, drawing annoyed glances from the sallow looking boy. The boy with the glasses noticed Remus looking their way. "Hi!" he said, nudging his friend.

Remus smiled, a little nervous when the second boy also looked at him.

"Hi! I'm Sirius Black,' the good looking boy said, smiling at Remus. "And this is James Potter.' He indicated his friend with the untidy hair, who also smiled. "Are you a first year too?" Remus nodded.

"Do you have a name?' said James, looking amused.

"Remus, Remus Lupin," Remus answered.

"Nice to meet you, Remus Remus Lupin,' Sirius said, with a laugh. Remus couldn't help but laugh as well.

"So, what house do you think you'll be in?' James said, sliding along the seat so he was sitting next to Remus.

The brown haired boy shrugged. "I don't know - my mum and dad were in Ravenclaw, so I suppose I will be too,' he responded, noticing the red haired girl and long haired boy opposite look over at them.

The boy spoke softly to her, but the girl's voice travelled across to the others. "Do you think I'll get in?" James looked over at the trio.

"Get in where?' he said, staring at the red haired girl who'd spoken.

"Slytherin House,' she said, looking over at the big nosed boy next to her. "Severus and I are hoping we'll both get in."

Remus saw James screw up his nose. "Slytherin!?" he exclaimed, a trace of disgust in his voice. "I think I would die if I got into Slytherin - I'd rather be in Hufflepuff!"

Sirius looked over at his new friend. "All of my family have been in Slytherin,' he said, mildly.

"Really?' said James. "I thought you were alright."

Sirius shrugged, saying, "Maybe I'll be different.'

The boy called Severus spoke to James now, his voice dripping with contempt. "And what house are you hoping to be in?"

James stood up, swaying a little as he held his arm high, as if brandishing a sword. "Gryffindor, where the brave at heart dwell."

Severus snorted. "Well, if you would rather be brawny rather than brainy…" he began, but was cut off by James, who said scornfully, 'Since you're neither, Slytherin would be perfect for you.'

Remus felt very uncomfortable as he sat silently in the midst of the argument. He glanced over at the second girl, who also hadn't said anything, and was startled to see her looking directly at him. He stared at her for a moment, and she smiled at him. He smiled back, and, suddenly feeling self conscious, dropped his eyes back to his book.

'She's really pretty,' he observed, then frowned as he wondered where on earth that thought had come from. He felt heat rushing to his face, even though he knew there was no way she could know what he was thinking. Chancing another look, he saw that she was looking at her friends, though for some reason, her face looked as flushed as he knew his must be.

The red haired girl stood. "Come on, Severus,' she said frostily. "We'll go and find somewhere better to sit." Severus stalked out of the compartment, with James calling an insult after him.

'Krys…..' she said, looking at her dark haired friend as she reached the doorway.

The girl nodded, then looked over to Remus.

'Bye,' she said softly, her bright blue eyes looking into his before she turned and followed her friend.

"Good riddance,' said James, and Sirius nodded. Remus watched the compartment door close, and the girl called Krys, disappeared with her friends.

Krystal sighed as she followed Lily out to the hall. She was already feeling a little nervous about going to Hogwarts, and the disagreement in the compartment had increased her unease. She disliked change, and even though she was looking forward to going to school, she hated not knowing what to expect.

"Are you alright?' Lily asked as they found new seats.

"Yeah,' she replied, smiling at her friend.

"Wasn't that boy a jerk?' said Lily, crossing her arms and frowning.

"Mmm,' agreed Krystal vaguely, looking out the window and thinking instead about the quiet boy in the compartment. She didn't know his name, but he seemed nice. Lily and Severus were talking, and Lily turned to ask her a question, drawing her into their conversation.

Hours later, hundreds of hungry students exited the train, all talking at once. Remus walked with his new friends, James and Sirius, semi consciously keeping an eye out for the dark haired girl. He heard a booming voice calling out for first years to 'come this way'. They followed the voice, dodging through the crowd of older students, all of whom seemed very tall next to the eleven year olds.

A group of children gathered around a very large, very scary looking bearded man, who explained that they would be travelling to Hogwarts by boat. Clouds had begun to gather by this time and all of the first years nervously climbed into the rickety looking boats. Remus sat next to a plump boy who introduced himself as Peter.

It was very dark on the water, and Remus couldn't see anyone else in the other boats. He gasped softly as he saw Hogwarts for the first time. The castle seemed huge, and it was all lit up, welcoming the students back for a new year.

Krystal was also staring up at the castle. She swallowed hard, feeling butterflies take flight in her stomach. She stepped carefully out of the boat, catching sight of the thin brown haired boy she'd seen on the train ahead of her. He was walking with a plump boy. Lily came up beside her.

"Come on, Krys,' she said, taking her hand. Severus appeared on the other side of her and gave her a small smile, as Lily dragged her up to the top of the stairs where a tall, sharp faced witch met them. She held up her hands and all talk died down.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, first years!' she said. "I am Professor McGonagall. You will be entering the Great Hall in a moment, and you will sorted into your houses. For those who don't know, the four houses are Gryffindor…' Remus saw James grin broadly as the witch continued.

"Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Please wait here until I come for you. Perhaps some of you,' she said, looking at James' untidy hair, 'could use the time to tidy yourselves up."

She moved away, and there was a flurry of movement as everyone tugged at their robes and ran hands over their hair. Remus felt his elbow bump the person behind him as he tried to shake the creases out of his robes. "Sorry,' he said, turning to see who he had hit.

"That's alright,' came the reply.

Remus smiled, as the dark haired girl from the train stuck out her hand. "I'm Krystal O'Connor,' she said flashing a smile back at him. "We didn't meet properly on the train."

He took her offered hand and said, "I'm Remus Lupin."

Her smile broadened. "It's nice to meet you, Remus,' she said, her bright blue eyes shining happily.

He was about to reply when Professor McGonagall appeared in front of them.

"Quiet, please!' she called. As all noise ceased, Remus and Krystal dropped hands. Remus turned to face the teacher, who said, "Follow me, please."

Peter slipped in beside Remus again as the first year students walked apprehensively through the Great Hall doors. There were a number of gasps as they saw the enchanted ceiling, cloudy and dark. They walked between two of the long tables to the front of the hall, where Professor McGonagall stood next to a stool, holding a roll of parchment and a bundle of material.

Krystal looked up at the enchanted ceiling, eyes wide. Her nerves were slowly being replaced by excitement at the thought of everything she was going to learn here. She stopped with the other students at the front of the hall, looking at Professor McGonagall with some trepidation.

As the first student was called to the front, Remus never felt so relieved his surname didn't begin with 'A'. He watched as the witch unrolled the bundle of fabric to reveal a large hat. Confused, he looked over at James, who was standing next to him. "What do we have to do?' he asked, but James just pointed to the front.

Remus turned to see Professor McGonagall place the hat on the student's head. There was silence for a moment, then the hat seemed to split open and the word, "Hufflepuff!" was heard throughout the hall.

The students at one of the tables began to clap as Professor McGonagall waved the relieved girl towards the cheering students. Remus looked on as the students were called one by one to the front of the hall. Sirius Black, the boy who's whole family had been sorted into Slytherin, looked a little shocked when the hat called out, "Gryffindor!". There was a murmur from the Slytherin table, none of the students there looking very happy.

"Lily Evans,' called Professor McGonagall, and the red haired girl from the train stepped up to the front, sitting on the stool. The hat had barely touched her head before it yelled, "Gryffindor!"

Lily looked surprised, her eyes searching the group of first years. Her smile looked a bit wobbly as she moved to the Gryffindor table, sitting as far away from Sirius as possible.

Krystal turned to look at Severus when Lily was sorted into Gryffindor. He was frowning, watching her as she walked to her seat. "Maybe you'll get into Gryffindor too, Sev,' Krystal said, knowing the boy had a bit of a crush on Lily.

He looked at her and shrugged. "Maybe you'll get into Slytherin,' he responded.

They had become friends through Lily, and got along alright, but she knew if he had a choice, he would prefer to be in the same house as Lily. She gave him a small smile and nodded, turning back to the sorting when she heard Remus Lupin get called.

Remus' turn came up quickly, and he felt a little thrill of nervousness as he sat on the stool. The hat slipped over his eyes, and he jumped when he heard a voice inside his head.

"Hmmm! Difficult, difficult. There's intelligence here, you'd do well in Ravenclaw, but, there's a shadow; a darkness as well - perhaps Slytherin?"

Remus remembered what James had thought of Slytherin and thought "No!" desperately.

The hat chuckled. "Not keen on Slytherin, hey? No. On second thoughts, I don't think it would really suit you. A kind nature, gentle, determined to see the best in people. Hufflepuff, perhaps? No, I don't think so. I see courage and strength. You're capable of great love, and great loyalty, but there's something else - insecurity, a longing to be accepted. Yes, I know where I'll put you. Gryffindor!"

The last word was yelled out, and the students at the Gryffindor table cheered as Remus joined them. Lily smiled at him and Sirius slid up next to him, clapping him on the shoulder. Two more students were sorted before Lily's friend, Krystal stepped up to the stool. Both Lily and Remus sat up straighter as Professor McGonagall put the hat on Krystal's head.

Krystal felt the hat slip over her eyes and nose. A voice sounded in her head, but she didn't jump in fright as the other's had. She was quite used to hearing voices in her head.

"Well, well! Lots of talent here - you have been blessed with some extraordinary gifts, my girl. But you need to take care that they don't overwhelm you. You could do a lot of good things, or a lot of terrible things, with your power."

She frowned. 'This hat doesn't know what it's talking about,' she decided.

The voice chuckled. "You're intelligent, but Ravenclaw won't suit you - you are too straightforward; too energetic. You are independent, opinionated and you dislike change - not an easy going Hufflepuff then. I can see a temper, and a shadow lurking; a darkness - Slytherin would enable you to utilise your gifts, but would also allow your shadows to thrive. Let's see: passion, courage and loyalty - there's only really one choice. Gryffindor!"

Lily jumped up and clapped as the hat finally yelled out "Gryffindor" and Krystal slid off the stool, smiling sympathetically at Severus as she walked to the table. She grinned as an excited Lily hugged her. Remus was clapping as well, and smiled at Krystal as she sat down next to Lily, across from he and Sirius. Krystal smiled back at him, then turned to Sirius, who greeted her and introduced himself.

Soon James and Peter joined them at the table. Lily turned her face away as James grinned at her, but Krystal took his hand and shook it, smiling at him. Peter flushed and shyly waved at her as she introduced herself. Lily and Krystal turned back to the front of the hall as Severus Snape was called. They waited as the Sorting Hat was put on his head and after several seconds called out, "Slytherin!"

Lily and Krystal looked at each other. Lily frowned, and Krystal turned back to look at Severus, who was walking towards the Slytherin table, glancing over to where Lily and Krystal sat. Krystal looked at him with concerned eyes, and Lily gave him a small smile. He turned away, and sat down with his back to them.

The noise of a clearing throat reverberated through the Hall and all heads turned to the teacher's table. The Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore had risen to speak. He gave a short speech, welcoming them and reminding them to keep away from the Forbidden Forest. He also mentioned that a new tree had been planted in the grounds, a rare breed called a Whomping Willow, and asked that everyone stay away from it as it would beat anyone that went near it.

Remus looked down at the table and felt his face flush as the Headmaster talked about the tree. He knew why such a dangerous tree had been planted in the grounds, and he felt guilty that so much trouble had been gone to for him and his special needs. Frowning slightly, he looked up and into a pair of bright blue eyes that were staring at him curiously, like they knew what he was thinking. Remus stared at Krystal for a moment, before they were both distracted when the food appeared out of nowhere on the table in front of them.

Krystal reached for a chicken leg, and stabbed a potato to put onto her plate. She was hungry, and quickly ate her meal. She noticed Remus looking over at her a couple of times, and wondered about the scrawny looking boy. She felt guilty about hearing his thoughts earlier, but was curious about why he thought the Willow had been planted for him. She frowned and berated herself for invading his privacy.

The Sorting Hat had mentioned her gifts: one of which was the ability to read minds. This in itself wasn't an unusual gift in the wizarding world, but it had to be taught, and was a difficult skill to master. Krystal heard other people all the time - their thoughts just coming into her mind as if they were her own. She had thought she had an imaginary friend until her parents had realised she could do this when she was two years old, and she had been taught how to block others out; to respect their right to keep their thoughts to themselves. In the excitement of the day, her mind block kept slipping. She smiled to herself as she glanced up at Remus. She'd heard his thoughts twice today. The first time was on the train when she'd heard him think that she was pretty. Her face flushed as dinner disappeared and dessert popped up in it's place.

Remus saw Krystal look up at him and wondered why she was blushing. He reached for the chocolate cake, his hand bumping into hers. She laughed, and said, "Sorry, you go first." He smiled back.

"Thanks,' he said, cutting a piece quickly and handing her the knife.

As she cut her slice, she asked, "Are you happy you got into Gryffindor?" He looked up from his cake and nodded, quickly swallowing his mouthful of food.

"Yeah, I guess,' he said, frowning a bit. "The sorting hat took a while to decide. Did you hear it talking to you?" He hoped she'd say she did - otherwise she would think he was crazy.

"Yep! It took ages to decide with me, too. I guess it wants to be sure it puts us in the right house,' she said, before taking a big bite of her cake. "Chocolate cake is my favourite,' she said, licking the frosting off her fingers.

He grinned at her, "Mine too!"

By the end of dessert, any awkwardness they had felt at first had disappeared and they were talking as if they'd known each other for years. As the prefects walked them out of the hall to take them to their common room, they fell in alongside each other, Krystal reintroducing Remus to Lily. The three of them followed the Gryffindor students up the stairs, Krystal heard a voice calling her.

"Miss O'Connor, could I have a word please?" Krystal turned to see the Headmaster standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes, Professor,' she said, knowing what he wanted. She turned to the others. Remus and Lily had stopped when she had, but James, Peter and Sirius were also watching. "See you later,' she said, walking back down the steps to join the Headmaster.

The others continued up the stairs, jogging to catch up with the other students. Krystal looked up at the tall thin man standing in front of her.

"Come,' he said, putting his hand on her shoulder and leading her back into the Great Hall. The tables were clear now. He sat down at the Gryffindor table and indicated that she should sit opposite him.

"How are you enjoying your first night at Hogwarts, Krystal?' he asked, smiling down at the young girl.

"It's been fun so far, Sir. I can't wait for lessons to start tomorrow,' she responded with a grin. He also smiled.

"You don't need to call me Sir when we are alone, Krystal. Albus is fine." He looked into her bright blue eyes - the exact same shade of blue as his.

"Thanks. It does feel really strange calling you sir or professor,' she admitted, as she looked up at her cousin.

"As long as you remember around the other students,' he said. "Hot chocolate?" He waved his wand and two steaming mugs appeared. She picked one up and sipped it, the smooth, hot liquid flowing down her throat.

"Have you had any trouble with your mind blocks? I know that they can be hard to keep up when you're excited or distracted,' he said, sipping his own drink, looking at her from over the top of his glasses. Albus had taught her how to block other's thoughts from her mind, and had always impressed upon her the importance of respecting other's rights to privacy.

"A little,' she admitted. "But I think I'll get used to it.' She took another, larger swallow of her drink, wondering if she should ask him about whether the Willow was really planted for Remus.

'No,' she decided. 'I wasn't supposed to have heard his thoughts.'

Professor Dumbledore watched her carefully. "And you have your wand?' he asked, putting his drink down.

She reached into her robes and pulled out a brand new wand. "Eleven inches, willow and phoenix feather,' she said, handing it to him.

He smiled as he ran it through his fingers. "Phoenix feather,' he murmured, smiling a little. 'A fire symbol. Appropriate.' He handed it back. "And you've been practicing with it? So it feels a bit more natural?"

She nodded, frowning as she held it in her hand. "It doesn't feel right,' she said. Looking up, she saw the question on his face. "I mean, it's a good wand. Mr Ollivander said it was the best he could give me, it's just that…..well, I'm not as good with it as I am without it."

Dumbledore smiled. "I know, but you need to use it while you are here. It will not hurt to learn how to use it properly, you may rely on it one day."

She stared at her wand. "But I don't need it,' she began, but he interrupted her.

"No, you don't need the wand to produce magic, but you should use it, at least at Hogwarts. Krystal, you have been given an incredible gift. Wandless magic is something many very talented, skilled wizards never manage, but there are those who would be…… jealous of your talent. I have already told you that I think it best you keep your skills a secret - for now at least.' He saw the frustration in her eyes. 'You promised me, young lady."

He looked at her, his stern voice softened by the smile on his face.

'Yeah, yeah. I know,' she said crankily.

They spoke for several more minutes about her classes, and then he stood, Krystal copying him, stowing her wand back in her pocket.

"Well, I think you should be getting some rest now. I'll walk you to Gryffindor Tower and give you the password. Otherwise you'll be sleeping in the corridor."

She grinned, and slipped her hand in his, chattering non stop until they reached the portrait hole.

'Pumpkin juice,' he said, and the painting swung forward. 'The girls' rooms are up that staircase,' he said, gesturing to the left. 'Those lead to the boys' rooms. Get a good nights' sleep, my love,' he said, and kissed her on the top of her head. 'Remember, no wandless magic, and keep that mind block up.'

She nodded and watched him leave before walking up the stone stairs to find her room.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The first year at Hogwarts went by quickly. Remus, James, Peter and Sirius became great mates, known by the end of the year as the Marauders. They enjoyed practical jokes and spent many long hours in detention. Krystal became friends with James and Sirius, but held Peter at a distance - something about the boy made her uncomfortable.

Krystal, Lily and Severus' friendship continued, in spite of them being in different houses.

Remus and Krystal developed a close friendship, much to the surprise of their friends. The two were different in so many ways, but seemed to balance each other perfectly. 'Like fire and water,' Lily once observed, and it was an apt description. Remus was a calming, soothing influence on the exuberant girl; able to get her to settle and focus when nothing else worked, and Krystal made sure he managed to have fun and laughter in his days; not allowing him to become too serious or introverted. Lily also grew to enjoy Remus' company, although steered clear of the other Marauders, disapproving of their love of rule breaking.

Krystal grew concerned about Remus throughout the year though. He had been ill a lot, and his parents had been sick as well, Remus needing to go home occasionally to help them. She didn't know how he'd managed to get good grades in his classes. He didn't like to talk about it, and she was, with difficulty, respecting his wishes. For now, anyway.

Krystal had overcome her dislike of using her wand to become proficient with it, coming top of her class in defence, and doing well in her other classes. She became impatient over the summer holidays for school to begin again.

She had spent time with Lily and Severus over the holidays, pouring over their textbooks for the next year. She asked Remus to visit, but he wrote to say he couldn't - that his family was visiting. They sent letters back and forth though, the frequency increasing over the weeks so they were writing almost daily by the end of the holidays; and on her twelfth birthday he sent her a card and a gift - a Sneakascope.

On September 1st, Krystal and her mother were waiting on Platform 9 ¾ as her father loaded her trunk, groaning at the weight of it. Lily came running up to her and they hugged, Lily squealing excitedly and Krystal laughing.

"You'd think they hadn't seen each other every day of the holidays,' grumbled Lily's father to Mr O'Connor, heaving Lily's trunk up next to Krystal's.

"Hi Krystal, Hi Lily,' called Sirius, walking with his parents, who looked down their noses at the two girls and their parents as they pushed Sirius past them. They turned to wave and Lily saw James Potter and his parents coming down the platform, turning her back. Krystal frowned and waved at James, who waved back. Lily turned and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Lils, he's not that bad,' Krystal said quietly.

"He's a jerk, Krys. You've seen him tease Sev,' Lily responded, frowning. Krystal opened her mouth, but was distracted by the change that came over Lily's face as she looked over Krystal's shoulder.

"Hi Krys, Hi Lily!' said Remus, walking up behind the girls with his father. Lily squealed again, and threw her arms around him, Remus colouring a little at the enthusiastic greeting. Krystal laughed as Lily let Remus go.

"Hi Remus,' she said, waving from behind Lily. Remus smiled at her, his deep blue eyes sparkling when he saw her. When Lily moved, Krystal moved forward and gave him a hug as well, squeezing him hard. Remus' father put his trunk on the train, and pulled Remus aside, speaking to him in quiet tones. The train whistle blew and there was a rush of hugging and kissing and promises to write and study hard, before the kids rushed for the train.

Lily sat with Severus, but Krystal shook her head, saying that she wanted to talk to Remus and would join them later. She followed the four boys to an empty compartment, throwing herself down in between Remus and Sirius. "How was your holiday, Krys?' asked James, trying to shove his bag in the luggage rack.

"Good thanks,' she said, 'Yours?'

He grunted as he finally got the bag all the way onto the rack. "Yeah, pretty good."

Krystal glanced at Remus, her face showing concern. "Are you alright?' she asked quietly. She'd noticed on the platform how ill he looked, as though he hadn't slept in days.

He nodded. "I'm fine. Did you like your present?' he asked, his voice low.

She grinned. "I did. Thank you. I bought it with me. I thought I might be able to use it to tell when you lot are planning nasty pranks on innocent bystanders,' she said, aiming her comment at James and Sirius.

Sirius laughed, and said, "I hope you don't think Snivellous is an innocent bystander, Krystal. He deserves everything he gets."

Krystal frowned, annoyed. "No one deserves all that, Sirius,' she said, standing up. "I'll see you later, Remus." Remus opened his mouth to try and call her back, but she left quickly.

The first few months at Hogwarts went by quickly. One day, just after Christmas holidays, Krystal noticed Remus missing at breakfast again.

"Where's Remus?' she asked Sirius, a frown creasing her forehead. "Don't tell me he's sick again! Or he's gone home to help his parents," Sirius looked at her, and she saw her worry reflected in his face.

"You don't believe him either?" he asked quietly.

Krystal shook her head. "There's something going on. No one is sick that much, and I saw his parents in Diagon Alley over Christmas - they didn't look ill to me."

Sirius looked around to see if anyone was listening. "He said before dinner last night he felt sick, that he was going to see Madam Pomfrey for a potion, but he never came back - I stayed up late waiting, but I fell asleep. His bed wasn't slept in this morning, though."

Krystal stared at him for a moment. "I'm going up to the infirmary,' she said firmly, standing up. "This is ridiculous." She strode off, hearing his footsteps behind her as she ran up the stairs.

"Hang on, Krys,' he said, catching up with her. "Madam Pomfrey won't let you in. We've tried before."

She stopped, turning to face him. "Well, you're the brilliant prankster. Think of something!' she said.

Sirius frowned and looked at her, a sausage still in his hand. Krystal stared back at him, before she smiled, whipping out her wand and pointing it at him.

"Sorry, Sirius,' she said, before raising her wand to shoulder height. "Waddiwasi!" she cried, watching as the sausage he was holding flew out of his hand and jammed itself up his nose.

He yelled, and put his hands to his face to try and pull it out. "Leave it,' hissed Krystal, glaring at him meaningfully. "I'll take you to the infirmary and get Madam Pomfrey to look at it."

Sirius stopped tugging on the sausage and he looked at her, his face a mix of annoyance and appreciation.

"Next time, warn me,' he said, as they turned and ran up the stairs.

Krystal stuck her head around the door of the infirmary. She didn't see the nurse, but she could see the beds. They were all empty except one, which had a curtain around it. "He must be in there,' Sirius said, his voice sounding strange with the sausage still stuffed up a nostril.

Krystal looked around again. "I can't see her. Let's go have a look and see if it's him,' she whispered.

They crept quietly towards the bed, getting to within a few feet of it before the nurse came out of her office and saw them.

"What are you two doing here?' she said, striding quickly towards them, pulling the curtain more firmly around the cubicle.

"We…we were looking for you, Madam Pomfrey. Look!' Krystal indicated Sirius' nose. "Someone hexed Sirius, and we didn't want to try and get it out in case we did some damage. It's shoved pretty far up there."

She saw Sirius' admiring look and shrugged modestly behind the nurse's back as she took hold of Sirius and led him to a nearby chair.

"You can go back to your breakfast, Miss O'Connor,' she said over her shoulder. Krystal was trying to look through the crack in the curtain, and started when Madam Pomfrey spoke to her.

"Oh. Well, alright,' she stammered. She walked towards the exit, watching as Madam Pomfrey gave her attention to Sirius and his nose.

She stopped, backing up until she was creeping along the wall, slowly moving around the room, towards the curtained cubicle. Sirius could see what she was doing and did his best to keep Madam Pomfrey distracted. Krystal was next to the bed now, and she reached out to try and pull the curtains apart a little. The curtains squeaked a little as they ran along the tracks, but Sirius heard it and started complaining loudly, "It really hurts now!"

Krystal smiled a little at his dramatic overacting, then bit her lip as she slipped into the cubicle, closing the curtain behind her.

Krystal stopped, looking down at the bed in horror. It was Remus in the bed, but he was bruised and battered, his face and arms had cuts on them and he was an awful grey colour. Krystal felt her breath leave her lungs as she stared at her friend. What on earth had happened to him? As she stood next to the bed in shock, Remus stirred, his eyes opening.

He blinked a few times, groaning a little as he stretched. He caught sight of Krystal next to him, her face pale and shocked, and froze. "Krystal?" he said softly, his own face stunned.

"What happened to you?' she whispered. "Who did this?"

Remus shook his head, looking away from her. "I'm fine, I….I got too close to the Whomping Willow."

Krystal frowned. Remus was a hopeless liar, and she could see he wasn't telling her the truth.

"Why are you lying to me?' she hissed, her voice hurt. He looked up at her and she was surprised to see the panic in his face.

"I can't tell you, Krys," he whispered.

Before she could respond, she heard Madame Pomfrey's voice, telling Sirius to hold still while she pulled the sausage out of his nostril.

"Don't tell them about this, please,' Remus begged once he realised Sirius was also in the infirmary.

Krystal looked uneasily over her shoulder, and then turned back to Remus. "Only if you promise to tell me what's wrong,' she said, moving towards the part in the curtains. Remus began to shake his head, but Krystal spoke again.

"Promise me, Remus or I'll tell them - all of them - and they'll all be up here."

He stared at her, then looked down at the bed. "I promise - just don't tell anyone," he said, his voice low.

Krystal nodded, and shot him one last look of concern before disappearing through the curtains.

Remus heard Sirius yelp as Madame Pomfrey extracted the sausage from his nose.

"I thought I told you to go, Miss O'Connor?' the nurse said.

He heard Krystal's voice mumble something about checking on Sirius, before the nurse shooed them out of the infirmary. When she popped her head around the curtain, Remus looked at her worriedly.

"I think I need to see Professor Dumbledore,' he said.

Krystal was sitting in Transfiguration class, supposedly turning a mouse blue, when a flash of green came from the fireplace, and a piece of parchment came flying out. Professor McGonagall caught it, glanced at the note and looked over at Krystal.

"Miss O'Connor, you are wanted in the Headmaster's Office."

Krystal looked up, surprised. She gathered her books together and left the room, with a worried glance back at Sirius, who was looking uneasy.

Professor Dumbledore was waiting at the bottom the spiral staircase for her.

"Krystal, come,' he said, waving to the stairs.

He followed her up and opened the door of his office. She entered the room, stopping abruptly when she saw Remus sitting on a chair in front of a desk.

"Sit please,' said Dumbledore, as Remus turned at the sound of his voice. He looked almost as sick as he had that morning, but now also had another look on his face - shame.

Krystal sat slowly on the chair next to him, looking from her friend to Dumbledore.

"Mr Lupin tells me that you paid him a visit in the hospital wing this morning, Miss O'Connor,' the headmaster said, his voice light as he sat in a chair behind his desk. Krystal turned to look at Remus, who was looking at the floor.

"Yes,' she replied, looking back to her cousin. "I was worried about him. He's sick a lot."

"I understand that you are concerned about your friend, but it is up to him whether he wants to tell you about his medical problems,' Albus said firmly. 'You will not tell anyone that you saw him this morning - whether Remus chooses to tell you or not."

Krystal frowned and looked up at Albus, her eyes defiant. "What is so bad that he can't tell me?' she retorted, turning back to Remus, who was now looking at her.

"I thought I was your friend,' she said, her face showing her hurt. Remus also looked pained, and turned his face to Professor Dumbledore, who shrugged his shoulders.

"I have told you that I think Miss O'Connor can be trusted, but the final choice is yours, Remus,' he said, leaning back in his chair and eyeing the two children thoughtfully. He suddenly jumped up, having made a decision.

"Excuse me,' he said, walking towards the door. "I will be back momentarily. Talk amongst yourselves."

Remus and Krystal were both a little startled by the Headmaster's sudden exit. They looked at each other, then Remus looked away.

"I'm going, too,' said Krystal, feeling a little angry at him. Obviously, he didn't consider her a friend; didn't trust her.

She stood and moved towards the door, when she heard his voice say, "You'll hate me."

Turning back around, her anger disappeared when she saw the tear rolling down his cheek.

'If I tell you, you'll hate me, Krys. And…you're my best friend, I don't want you to think I'm…….." his voice faded and he shook his head.

"Remus,' she said, moving quickly to crouch in front of him. She reached out and took his hands. "I could never hate you - no matter what you tell me. You're my best friend too, Remus. I just want to help you."

When he shook his head again, she said, "Nothing could be that bad. If you're ill,….."

He interrupted her, looking at the floor. "I'm not sick,' he whispered. "I'm…..I'm a werewolf."

Krystal blinked: his words were the last she had expected to hear.

"What?" she said, not sure she'd heard him correctly.

"I'm a werewolf,' he repeated, still looking at the ground.

Krystal frowned, staring at him for a moment before she stood up, letting go of his hands as she sat back down in the chair next to him. She looked at him, not knowing what to say. She'd never met a werewolf before, and didn't know a lot about them, except how dangerous they were supposed to be. Looking at the skinny boy next to her, she found it hard to believe that he could possibly be the kind of creature she'd heard described.

"How? How can you be a werewolf? I don't understand,' she said.

"I was bitten years ago, when I was really little. Ever since, once a month at the full moon, I turn into a werewolf,' he said, his voice so low and mournful she could barely hear him. "I'm not sick - I go to the Shrieking Shack once a month to change, then, when it's over, I come back."

Krystal thought about his absences - they were every month or so.

She looked at him, still not sure if he was playing a joke on her.

"How do you get to the Shrieking Shack?' she asked, watching his face for a trace of a lie. 'Isn't it haunted?'

He looked up at her as he said, "Madame Pomfrey takes me through a tunnel. It starts under the Whomping Willow and goes all the way to the Shack. And it isn't haunted. It's me people hear in there."

Krystal remembered the thought of his she had accidently heard last year - that the Willow had been planted for him.

"But how did you get hurt? You had cuts and bruises all over you. Did the Whomping Willow really do that?,' she asked, still a little stunned by his announcement.

"No. I did it - when I was transformed," he answered, his jaw clenching. Krystal's face creased in concern.

"You did all that to yourself?' she whispered, remembering how battered he'd looked. Remus nodded and Krystal reached out for his hand again, holding it tight.

Remus looked at her in surprise when she took his hand.

'Does it hurt? The transformation?' she asked, looking almost afraid to hear the answer. He swallowed hard, remembering the agony of the previous night.

'Yes,' he answered, his voice low. 'It hurts a lot.'

Krystal saw the pain in his face and her own screwed up in empathy. "I'm so sorry, Remus,' she said, her eyes filling with tears. "I was so horrible to you this morning and now I've forced you to tell me….."

She shook her head, angry with herself for pushing him. 'I'm an awful friend.'

"You don't hate me?' he asked, his voice incredulous.

She looked at him in confusion. "Why would I hate you?' she said. Remus shook his head, unable to believe she wasn't scared or disgusted by what he was.

"I'm a monster,' he said, his voice cracking.

Krystal shook her head. "No, you're not,' she said fiercely. "Once a month, you are….ill. That doesn't change who you are the rest of the time."

Remus couldn't believe she was being so supportive. Maybe she didn't understand what he really was.

'I'm dangerous, Krys,' he said, surprised when she laughed a little.

'Remus, I'm more scared of my dentist than I am of you,' she said, her smile fading when she saw how worried he still was. 'Did you really think this would make me hate you?'

He nodded, and she glared at him. 'You don't have a lot of faith in me, do you?' she said, a little annoyed.

'Most people hate werewolves, Krys - for good reason,' he explained.

'Well, I don't know any other werewolves, Remus, but I know you,' she said, her voice firm. 'You're no monster.'

She put her arms around him and squeezed him hard. 'I don't like you talking about yourself like that, Remus,' she said quietly into his ear. 'You're my friend. Nothing will change that.'

Remus felt tears well up in his eyes as he put his arms around her and hugged her back. "Thank you, Krys,' he said softly into her hair. 'You're a better friend than I deserve.'

She shook her head. 'Don't be ridiculous,' she admonished him.

Neither of them saw Albus in the doorway, smiling in a knowing way.

'Well,' he said finally, entering the room, startling them and making them jump apart.

'I see you've made a decision, Mr Lupin. Miss O'Connor, I'm sure I don't need to tell you how important it is that this stays a secret?'

Krystal shook her head. 'I know how to keep a secret, Sir,' she said with a smile at him. 'Yes, I'm sure you do.' he agreed giving her a wry smile. 'There is no point in you returning to your class now, Krystal. If he is feeling up to it, perhaps Mr Lupin would like some company in the hospital wing for a while.'

Remus grinned. 'Yeah,' he said, grateful that he might not have to spend so much time alone now that Krystal knew his secret. 'I'd like that.'

Krystal smiled as well. 'You know, I really think Remus would get better faster if I spent the whole day with him,' she said cheekily.

Albus chuckled. 'Oh, I'm sure he would,' he said. 'But it will not do for both of you to get behind in your classes. Go on, off you go,' he said, waving his hands at them.

They walked slowly back to the infirmary, stopping occasionally as Remus tired.

'Here,' said Krystal, putting her arm around his waist.

'Someone will see us, Krys,' he warned, though grateful for her help.

She grinned and dragged his arm around her shoulders. 'Then I guess they'll think you're my boyfriend,' she said with a giggle.

He laughed too, but the thought that he might not mind if people believed she was his girlfriend flashed through his mind before he could stop it.

He could feel his face get hot, and he was never happier to see Madame Pomfrey, who fussed over him and got him back into bed quickly. Krystal watched until the nurse left him alone, then jumped up onto the foot of the bed, watching him carefully.

'Do you want to go to sleep?' she asked when he yawned. Remus shook his head quickly. He was tired, but she was only here until her next class and he wanted to make the most of having someone other than Madame Pomfrey to talk to.

'Tell me what you did to Sirius this morning so you could sneak in here?' he said.

Krystal laughed and told him how hilarious Sirius had looked with that sausage shoved up his nose. Remus laughed until he grabbed his sore ribs.

'Ow!' he complained, still laughing until he saw her look of concern. 'It's alright, Krys. It's not that bad this time,' he told her.

She frowned at him. 'How bad is it normally?' she asked, a little alarmed.

His amusement faded completely now, and he talked about his affliction, explaining what happened and how the wolf took its frustration and resentment out on itself. He saw her worry deepening as he spoke and, for a moment, wished he hadn't told her.

Madame Pomfrey poked her head around the curtains and told Krystal it was time for her to leave. She nodded and slipped off the bed, frowning at him for a moment. A sudden fear shot through him as he thought now she knew more about what he turned into, she'd decided he was really a monster, and wanted nothing more to do with him.

This was dispelled however, when she put her arms around him, holding him tight.

'Will you be here still tonight?' she asked quietly, as his arms came around her. He nodded, and she pulled away.

'See you tonight, then,' she said, with a smile. Remus felt relieved, and smiled back at her.

'Thanks, Krys,' he said as she turned around. She waved at him, and left the infirmary.

Sirius was full of questions when Krystal arrived in the Dining Room for lunch. 'Well?' he demanded, pulling her aside. 'Did he tell you what was wrong with Remus?'

Krystal had kept her word to her friend earlier that morning. She had told Sirius that Remus was sleeping when they were in the hospital wing earlier, and that there didn't look to be anything wrong with him. She looked at his worried face now and felt bad for the lie she was about to tell.

'Someone saw me hex you this morning, and told the teachers,' she said, having thought of this tale on the way back down from the infirmary. 'I told Dumbledore why I did it, and he took me to see Remus.' She took a breath.

'He's got a cold, Sirius. A bad one, but just a cold.'

Sirius frowned at her. 'You're kidding?' he said, his face screwed up in disbelief.

Krystal shrugged. 'I know,' she said, and now I've got a detention tonight for hexing you.' Sirius laughed, but said, 'I'll tell Dumbledore we were mucking around….' But she shook her head.

'He knows, but he said it was a dangerous thing to do and I need to understand that.' She shrugged again. 'He won't change his mind. I'll just do the detention, Sirius. It's no big deal.'

After dinner, Krystal snuck up to the infirmary to see a greatly improved Remus sitting up reading a textbook. He looked up when she opened the curtains, and grinned.

'I thought you might not have come,' he admitted, when she asked him why he looked so relieved. She shook her head at him.

'We really need to do something about your lack of faith in me, Remus,' she said, pulling herself back up onto the foot of his bed.

'It's not that I don't have faith in you, Krys,' he said, not wanting her to think he believed her to be untrustworthy. 'It's just….well, you've had some time to think about everything, and…..'

'And since I'm your best friend, its made not a bit of difference to how I feel,' she interrupted, pulling a pack of Exploding Snap cards from her robes.

'I've told you, Remus. It doesn't bother me. You're still the same person you were yesterday.'

He swallowed hard against the lump that had risen in his throat.

'Now, stop stalling,' she said, giving him a card. 'You're just scared I'm going to beat your butt at Snap again.'


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Why didn't you tell us?" James' question was asked indignantly.

Remus sighed. So much for no one knowing about his lycanthropy. It had been months since he told Krystal about his…..problem, and now Sirius, James and Peter were sitting on his bed, having confronted him about their suspicions.

"No one is supposed to know,' he said now, shaking his head. "Please, you can't tell anyone."

Sirius frowned at him. "Of course we won't tell,' he said. "What do you think we are? Slytherins?" Peter sniggered, and Remus grinned.

'How cool is that?' Sirius exclaimed excitedly. 'A werewolf! Have you ever eaten anyone?'

'No!' said Remus, aghast. 'No. I'm locked up when I change. I hate the thought that I could hurt someone.'

He frowned and felt his constant fear surface. He was always afraid that he would hurt someone one day during his transformations. During the full moon, he didn't keep his own mind - and werewolves were strong. He could easily bite or kill a human, and not even know it.

'So, is that how you got all the scars?' Peter asked, looking at his covered chest. 'You tried to hide them, but we've all seen them.'

Remus smiled a little. He had attempted to keep himself covered as much as possible. He nodded, and Sirius asked to see where he was bitten. Remus quickly turned around and yanked down his pyjama pants, showing them the large scar on the back of his thigh. The three boys all sucked in a breath and winced, unconsciously acknowledging how painful it must have been. It was a nasty looking scar.

"Does it hurt - turning into a werewolf?" asked James, bouncing a little on the bed as he moved closer to Remus, who pulled up his pants.

"Yeah,' said Remus darkly, thinking of the agony he suffered each month. "It hurts."

"What hurts?' said Krystal, standing in the doorway with her hand raised to knock.

"Nothing,' said James, Sirius and Peter immediately, causing Remus to smile at his friends' loyalty as well as their lack of subtlety.

"It's alright, she knows,' he said, looking over at Krystal, who smiled, guessing now what they were talking about.

"Ah, you told her first?' James complained.

"No, she guessed first,' retorted Krystal as she walked over to the bed and threw herself down next to Sirius, who was looked at her with a small smile on his face.

"Girls are just more observant than boys."

"I thought you said he had a cold,' Sirius said quietly to her, guessing that she had learnt about Remus' condition on their visit to the infirmary all those months ago.

Krystal shrugged and grinned. 'I can keep a secret,' she said.

For ten minutes, the boys kept Remus busy answering questions about lycanthropy. He noticed Krystal frowning occasionally when he talked about how his body and mind changed each month. When the others were distracted by Sirius' quite realistic impression of a transformation, he reached over and took her hand, squeezing it.

'It just sounds so damn painful,' she said quietly, knowing he was trying to stop her worrying. He'd never heard her curse before, and was a little taken aback. But before he could say anything, she slipped her hand out of his, having seen the others turning back to them.

"Why are you here, anyway, Krys? You don't normally come up to see us - Lily busy?" said James casually, trying to disguise his growing interest in Krystal's friend.

"She's studying in the common room, though I'm sure you wouldn't be interested,' she said, a smile returning to her face. She was fully aware of his crush on Lily - James wasn't particularly subtle.

She turned to Remus. "I came to get Remus. You're supposed to be helping me practice today - and you're still in your pyjamas."

All four boys looked down, realising they were all still in their pyjamas. There was a flurry of activity as they all jumped up and yelled at Krystal to get out while they dressed. Krystal was laughing as James pushed her out of the room; and was still giggling when she and Remus made their way down to the dining hall. They grabbed handfuls of toast, slapping some bacon in between the bread, and walked out to the grounds of the castle, munching on their sandwiches as they went.

They had decided earlier in the year that they would spend some time each weekend practicing casting the spells they were learning in DADA class. Krystal was really enthusiastic about learning defence, and her love of it was rubbing off on Remus. He was finding he was learning more from her then he did from the teacher.

Krystal didn't stick to the spells they were learning in class. She read books from the library, and made him try them with her, explaining each movement and nuance. They'd been working on some spells from the Fourth Year textbooks occasionally, but Remus was wanting to work on Disarming Spells, still finding himself having some trouble with them.

Unbeknownst to Remus though, today was to be a little different. Krystal had decided to show Remus her secret. She thought it was only fair - she knew his secret, it was time he knew hers. They moved to a fairly private spot, and Krystal was starting to feel a little nervous about what she was about to do, clicking her fingers softly and fidgeting. Albus and her parents were very insistent that she not tell anyone about her gifts, but Krystal couldn't see them harm in showing Remus - he was her friend and she trusted him. What she was really concerned about was that it was an unusual gift - what if he thought she was some kind of freak?

Remus held up his wand. "Ok, what do you want to do first? Expelliarmus?' he asked.

"Yeah, ok,' she said, frowning anxiously. 'You go first.'

She raised her hands as he called, "Expelliarmus!"

A shimmering white light appeared in front of her and his spell bounced off, shooting back at Remus, his wand flying out of his hand and into the air.

"Hey!' he shouted, surprised. "We're supposed to be practicing disarming, not shields." He picked up his wand and looked over at Krystal, who was still standing with her hands up in front of her, and frowned.

"Where's your wand? Did the spell get through?" He looked on the ground for it, then looked back at her as she reached inside her robes and pulled out her wand.

Remus frowned even harder, confused now. "How did it get in there?" he asked.

Krystal threw the wand on the ground in front of her and raised her hand to shoulder height.

"Expelliarmus!" she called, and Remus felt his wand fly out of his hand again, soaring through the air straight to Krystal, who caught it.

"Whoa!" said Remus, his eyes wide. "You…..you didn't use your wand!' he gasped, looking quickly down at the ground to check her wand was still there. "How did you do that?"

Krystal moved towards him, and handed him back his wand. "You have to promise not to tell anyone,' she warned. "Not even James or Sirius or Peter. It's a secret - I'll get into trouble if anyone here finds out."

He nodded eagerly. "Of course I won't tell anyone,' he agreed.

She took a deep breath. "I don't need a wand,' she said, sitting on the grass in front of him. "I can do wandless magic."

"Wandless magic?" he said, sounding a little awestruck. He sat down opposite her, looking into her eyes. "Really?"

She smiled at him. "Yeah, really,' she confirmed.

'But, how? I mean, you're just a kid. Only really good wizards can do wandless magic. My mum and dad can't do wandless magic."

Krystal shrugged. "My mum and dad can't either. I don't know: it's in my genes or something. My grandma could do it, so could her mum. But my parents say that my magic is very strong. I can do a lot of things that even my grandma needed a wand for."

Remus bit his lip, thinking. 'So how does it work?' he asked. 'Do you think of the spell in your head or what?'

Krystal shook her head. 'Sometimes. I think about what I want to do, like if I want to move something or get something, or I'll think about the incantation and it works. But sometimes it just happens without me doing anything,' she explained. 'When I was three, my dad nearly ran over me in his car. I didn't know any incantations, but my shields came up and stopped it from hitting me.'

She shuddered at the memory. Her dad had been super protective of her ever since that day.

'That was when mum and dad figured out I could do wandless magic.'

"Wow!' said Remus, really impressed. "You stopped a car with a shield charm?'

She shrugged and smiled at him. 'So, can you show me how you do it?'

Krystal smiled broadly. "You don't think I'm a freak?" she asked, relieved.

He stared at her, confused. "Course not!' he said, enthusiastically. "I'm more of a freak than you. This is so cool, Krys! I wish I could do wandless magic."

She laughed at his excitement, even as she reprimanded him for his comment about himself. "You are not a freak, Remus. Don't talk like that."

He stood up, bouncing a little in impatience. "Ok, ok. Sorry," he said. "Can you show me something now?"

He extended his hand and Krystal grabbed it, letting him pull her to her feet.

She backed away until they were about six feet apart. "You ready?' she asked, holding both hands out.

"For what?" he replied, looking a little wary. She smiled as she thought of the incantation for levitation. Remus let out a yell as his feet left the ground, and he rose into the air. He grinned at her, saying again, "This is so cool!"

Krystal laughed at him, and, with a mischievous smile, flicked her hand, flipping him upside down, making him laugh.

An hour later, they were lying side by side on the grass, looking up at the sky, which was rapidly getting darker and cloudier as the heaven's threatened to open. Krystal was tired: wandless magic could be exhausting if you didn't use it regularly, and she'd been primarily using her wand.

"Any other cool stuff you want to tell me about?" joked Remus, still marvelling at Krystal's magical ability.

Krystal bit her lip: she did have one more secret.

Remus turned his head, and saw her uncertainty. "You do, don't you!" he exclaimed, sitting up hastily.

She sat up too, her face unsure. "There is something…" she began.

"Tell me!' interrupted Remus, a big grin on his face.

Krystal let down her mind block, reading his thoughts. "No. I can't fly, Remus,' she said, a little amused by his idea.

"What?' he said, confused. "I never said you could fly,"

Krystal shook her head. "No, but you thought it,' she said.

"Well, it would be pretty awesome if you…." He stopped, realising what she had said. "You can read my mind?' he said, in awe. His mouth hung open a little as he struggled to accept this new information.

Krystal nodded. "Prove it!' said Remus. "What am I thinking now?"

Krystal laughed. "You're thinking that I'll never guess what you're thinking,' she replied. Remus' mouth dropped open even more.

"You really can read my mind?" he asked, suddenly frowning as he wondered if this was a good or bad thing.

"Don't worry,' she said, sensing his concern. "I use a mind block that stops people's thoughts coming into my head. I don't hear you unless my block fails. I'll put it back up now, ok?"

Remus breathed a silent sigh of relief. 'Good,' he said with more than a little relief.

Ever since the day he'd told her about his condition, he had started to notice things that he hadn't before. Like how very pretty she was; how funny she was; how she had a really nice smile; and how soft her hand was when she held his. Those kind of thoughts were not ones he wanted overheard.

He realised she was staring at him, watching as his face turned pink. He stood quickly, trying to hide his flustered state. The last person he wanted to know about his other secret was Krystal.

"Come on,' he said, holding out his hand to help her up again. "We should get in for lunch."

For the next couple of months, the students were busy revising for exams. The second years also had to choose new subjects for next year. Krystal and Lily poured over the choices, Remus joining them in worrying about making the right decision. James and Sirius laughed at them, making their choices fairly flippantly, earning them even more scorn from Lily. Peter chose the same classes as James and Sirius.

Krystal came top of the class in defence again, much to James and Sirius' growing disgust, and Lily's amusement. Remus did well too, thanks to some help from Krystal, with whom he had spent a lot of time practicing. Neither of them did as well in potions, though, prompting Krystal to seek out Severus to tutor her next year, knowing he was the best in their year.

"No,' he said, spooning mashed potato into his mouth.

'Come on Sev, why not?' she asked, a little taken aback by his blunt refusal.

"I don't tutor,' he said. Turning to look at her, she was surprised by the anger in his eyes.

"Why don't you ask one of your new friends? I'm sure they would love to help you,' he spat at her.

'Sev!' she said, shocked at his tone. "You're my friend too - or at least, I thought you were."

She pushed herself off her seat at the Slytherin table and stalked out of the room, coming to a halt only when she heard footsteps behind her, and his voice calling her name.

"What?' she snarled at him, now quite angry herself.

"You've been ignoring me all year, and now, when you want something, you come and find me,' he said loudly, his dark eyes flashing.

Krystal felt a burst of anger in her chest and she pointed her finger at Severus, yelling, "That's a lie, Sev, and you know it!"

As she finished her sentence, Severus went flying backwards, hitting the wall behind him hard.

"Ow!" he yelped, as his back slammed into the stone.

Krystal lowered her hand, stunned. "How did you do that?" Severus said, looking both angry and curious as he shoved himself off the wall. Krystal backed away from him, still shocked that she had inadvertently done magic.

"I didn't do anything,' she said, turning away from him. 'Look, it's fine. I'll get Lily to help me if you won't."

She ran up the stairs, ignoring him when he called after her. She ran all the way to Gryffindor Tower and threw herself onto the couch. She was mad with herself for losing control, and furious at Severus for being a jerk. Angry tears welled up in her eyes, and she blinked them away impatiently. She hated crying - hated looking weak.

"Are you alright? What's happened?' came a concerned voice from the end of the couch. Krystal started, not having seen Remus follow her into the room.

"I'm fine,' she said, sitting up quickly. He frowned and walked around the couch to sit next to her.

"I heard you arguing with Snape,' he said. "Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No. I think I hurt him."

She told him about what had occurred, shaking her head again as she said, "I didn't even try to cast a spell; I didn't think about pushing him. It just happened. I've never hurt anyone before, Remus. Not even by accident."

"Sometimes, when you're angry, you can do things without meaning to,' he said, putting his arm around her. "It sounds like he's alright; you didn't mean to do it."

Krystal leaned against him, her head on his shoulder.

"Why was he so mean to me? I have spent time with him this year, but I've got other friends too,' she complained.

Remus felt a rush of anger at Snape. Krystal had been a good friend to the Slytherin; she and Lily were always sticking up for him when the other's picked on him.

"Maybe he's jealous?' Remus suggested. "You and Lily and he used to play together all the time. Now he has to share you both."

Krystal raised her head and looked at him. "You're very smart, you know,' she said, smiling at him.

Remus smiled back at her, feeling a funny little lurch in his chest. "Come on, we might still get some cake if we hurry."

He pulled her up, and they ran down to the Great Hall, only dropping hands when they reached the doors.

The last day of term arrived and the Second year Gryffindor students lined up with the rest of the school to catch the Hogwarts Express back to London. They managed to find a compartment together, Lily choosing to sit with Severus, becoming irritated with Krystal when she refused. Krystal and Remus played Exploding Snap, while James and Sirius pored over a book, which was most unusual. Peter slept most of the way back, snoring slightly.

As they disembarked that evening, Krystal and Remus waved goodbye to their friends, promising regular owls throughout the holidays. While they waited for their parents, Krystal pressed a piece of paper into Remus' hand.

"My mum will call your mum to ask if you can visit, but if you can't, this is my phone number,' she said. 'You can call me if you want, instead of writing."

Her hand closed around his, and he squeezed back.

"Thanks,' he said. "Maybe my parents won't be so overprotective these holidays."

She smiled, then looked over his shoulder as she saw her father approaching.

"Dad!' she called, waving her arm. Remus turned and saw Krystal's father come up behind him. He'd never met the man before, and stepped back as he approached. Krystal gave him a quick hug then grabbed Remus' arm, pulling him closer. "Dad, this is my friend, Remus Lupin."

Krystal's father smiled down at him, holding out his hand. "So this is the famous Remus, is it?' he said, glancing fondly down at his daughter. "We've heard a lot about you."

Remus blushed a little as he shook Mr O'Connor's hand. "It's nice to meet you, sir,' he said quietly.

"Hmm! Polite, too. An improvement on that other friend of yours, what's his name, Septacus?" Krystal closed her eyes, and Remus tried unsuccessfully to disguise his snort of laughter as a cough.

"Severus, dad!" she said in exasperation. Her father laughed as well, as Remus' father approached. Remus greeted his dad, and introduced Krystal and her father.

"Dad, can Remus come over sometimes during the holidays?' Krystal asked, deciding to seize the moment.

"Well, it's fine with us, but it's up to Remus' dad,' he said, turning to Mr Lupin, who frowned.

"Please, dad,' said Remus, wishing he could tell his father how much it meant to him to be normal like his friends. His father looked at him and nodded.

"Sure, maybe a little later in the holidays though. Your mother isn't feeling too well, and I'm sure she'd like you around for company."

Krystal glanced at Remus, counting back and realising the full moon would be coming in a week.

Remus nodded as well. "Thanks, dad."

As their parents turned away to collect their children's trunks, Krystal slipped her hand into Remus', whispering to him, "Good luck next week. I hope it's not too bad for you."

Remus smiled. "I'm used to it,' he said quietly.

"Come on, Krystal,' Mr O'Connor called, as he shook hands again with Remus' father. Krystal put her arms around Remus and hugged him.

"See you soon,' she said. Remus hugged her back.

"I hope so,' he replied, surprised as she turned her head and pecked him quickly on the cheek before running after her father.

Remus was still grinning stupidly when his father puffed over to him with his trunk, saying, "Come on Romeo, lets go."


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks The Fleaks and remuslives for your reviews. This story is finished on my computer and I'll update every day. I'll put a couple of Chapters up today as I want to get them 'of age' so they can start earning the M rating.

Chapter Four

"Krys, he's really sorry,' said Lily, curling her legs up under her. She was sitting on the end of Krystal's bed, while Krystal lay on her back, propped up against the headboard.

"Nope," said Krystal, flicking over the page of her new Defence Against the Dark Arts textbook.

There were only 2 days left of the school holidays. Krystal had turned thirteen, and had a small party with some of her Hogwarts friends. She'd spent a lot of time with Lily as usual, but also some with Remus, whose parents had let him come and visit a couple of times, as well as allowing him to attend her birthday party. They had also invited Krystal to visit, Remus thrilled that his parents seemed to be lightening up.

Lily looked exasperated with her friend and stood up, walking over to the neat desk. "You are a freak - look how tidy everything is in here,' grumbled Lily.

Krystal ignored her, turning another page of her book. Lily picked up a letter off the desk. She glanced at the signature at the bottom and smiled slyly.

"Remus writes a lot doesn't he?" she said, with an air of innocence.

"Does he?' Krystal murmured, standing up and waving her wand, trying to copy the movement shown in the book.

"He likes you,' Lily teased, sitting back down on the bed and watching Krystal.

She'd started to suspect Remus had a bit of a crush on Krystal; she'd caught him watching her when he thought no one was looking.

"I should hope so. He wouldn't be a very good friend otherwise, would he?' retorted Krystal, refusing to be drawn into Lily's teasing.

Looking a little grumpy that Krystal wouldn't discuss her friendship with Remus with her, Lily returned to the subject she'd raised earlier.

"Can't you just go and see him; let him apologise?' she asked. Krystal looked up from the book, frowning at her best friend.

"Severus would never apologise, Lily,' she said.

"He's really sorry,' Lily repeated, looking at Krystal with round, green eyes. "Please go and see him. I can't stand having my two best friends fighting."

"We're not fighting,' Krystal mumbled, closing the book and tossing it into her half packed trunk. "We're not speaking at all."

She sat heavily on the bed next to Lily, who could sense a chink in Krystal's stubborn refusal to speak to Severus. She knew that behind her friend's obstinate stand, she felt bad about the fight with the Slytherin.

"I promise, I will do anything you want if you will just go and see him,' she said pleadingly, seeing Krystal frown and knowing that she had won.

"Fine!' Krystal said, standing up and tucking her wand into her jeans pocket, looking down at Lily.

"You'll do anything?" she asked, grabbing her jacket off a chair. Lily nodded, also standing, now looking a little worried about her rash promise. Krystal put on her jacket and looked back with her hand on the door knob.

"Don't keep on about Remus, ok? We're friends, nothing more,' she said, her face serious.

"Are you sure he knows that?' asked Lily, her own voice losing it's teasing tone.

"Yes. So just lay off, ok?' she said, turning to leave the room.

Lily came with her to the end of Severus' street, which was in a poorer, run down part of town.

"I hate coming here,' said Lily, screwing up her nose. "It's so creepy."

Krystal didn't say anything, but she agreed with Lily. The girls said goodbye, and Lily promised to call later to find out what had happened.

Krystal approached Severus' house, stopping in her tracks when she heard a man yelling. She couldn't hear what he was saying, but she heard Severus' distressed voice pleading with the man to "Stop!" Krystal hesitated only a second before walking up to the door and knocking softly.

The man continued to yell, his voice louder and his words distinguishable now.

"Useless moron,' he yelled, and Krystal heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh. Anger now overtook her fear and she pushed open the front door of the house. She heard the man screaming again, and the unmistakeable sound of someone being punched. A second voice, Severus voice, sounded weak as it again begged the man to stop.

Krystal walked slowly down the hall, breathing quickly now. She rounded the corner into the living room and saw a thin, dark haired man standing over a skinny boy, who was curled up on the floor. The man was screaming, and Krystal watched in horror as he raised his foot and kicked Severus in the ribs.

"Hey!' yelled Krystal. The man spun around and glared at her.

"Who the hell are you?' he snarled at her. Krystal looked down at Severus and saw him look through his hands at her, his face bloody.

"Leave him alone,' she demanded. The man looked at her for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"Is this one of your weird friends, boy!' he said loudly, walking slowly towards Krystal.

"Leave him alone,' she said again. "Sev, are you alright?' She saw Severus trying to get to his feet. The man also saw him, and kicked out again with his foot, knocking Severus to the ground. Krystal screamed when she saw him hit his head hard on the coffee table. The man turned on her, moving fast and grabbing her hair.

"You shouldn't have come in here, girl,' he said nastily, as Krystal felt some of her hair come out in his hand. He pulled her towards the couch and threw her down. She tried to get back up, but he pushed her down again. He laughed again, as he reached over for a bottle of FireWhiskey. Krystal jumped up again, and ran for the door. But the man was faster, grabbing her arm and pulling her against him.

Krystal felt anger and fear bubble up in her and, without thinking, she bought her hands up. The man flew across the room, hitting the opposite wall. He roared as he struggled to his feet, and Krystal bought her hands up sharply, sending him high up into the air, until he hit the ceiling, dropping like a stone to the floor.

Krystal heard a knock at the door, and spun around to see two Muggle police officers standing in the doorway.

"In here!' she called. "Help us!" The officers moved quickly into the room, taking in Krystal's wild look and the two people on the floor.

"What's going on?" the female officer asked.

"My friend, he was hurting my friend,' Krystal said frantically, turning to see Severus stirring on the carpet. She sank down next to him, holding onto his hand as the police officer got onto her radio.

Three hours later, Krystal was home in bed. She had been checked at the hospital, the doctor pronouncing her well, before her parents took her home. She had received a short lecture from her father about never seeing 'that boy' again, and why on earth would she place herself in danger like that, before her mother sent her off to bed so she could calm her husband down. She lay in bed now, thinking about Severus.

He had lots of broken bones and cuts, as well as a concussion. He would be getting transferred to St. Mungo's as soon as possible so his injuries could be healed the magical way. He told the police officers what had happened and his father, a Muggle, was arrested. Krystal had told the police that she had pushed the man and he had fallen over the coffee table, and that is how he got his broken arm and bruises. They didn't really believe her, but there was no other explanation as to how a thirteen year old girl could fight off a grown man.

Lily rang that night, but Krystal told her that Severus hadn't been home. She lay on her bed, rereading some of the letters from Remus. Despite the fact she knew Severus' father would have hurt her if he'd been given the chance, she felt dreadful that again she'd hurt someone with her magic. She wished she could talk to Remus; he always made her feel better, but it was late now, and she was sure Sev wouldn't want anyone to know what had happened today. A soft knock on the door distracted her, and she put down the letters as her mother sat on the bed.

"Are you feeling alright?' she asked, stroking her daughter's hair.

Krystal smiled, and said, "I'm fine, mum. It's Sev that got really hurt." Her mother frowned.

"He's my friend, mum. It's not his fault his father's a nutcase,' she argued, reading her mother's mind.

"I understand, Krystal and I admire your loyalty, but I want you to promise me that if you want to spend time with him, that you will invite him here. I don't want you to go near his family again, alright?' she said, smiling as Krystal nodded. "And don't you read my mind again, young lady. Put your block up."

Krystal smiled. "Sorry, mum,' she said, stretching on the bed and knocking the letters to the floor.

Her mother stood, picking up the letters as she did. She glanced at them quickly and smiled.

"Remus is a very nice boy,' she said, handing Krystal the letters. Krystal blushed under her mother's probing gaze, wondering why no one believed she and Remus were simply friends.

"Mmm,' she said, taking the letters and standing, putting them on her desk.

"You two seem to be good friends,' her mother continued. 'We are,' Krystal said with a tone of finality, flopping back onto her bed.

"Ok, I can take a hint . Goodnight, honey.' She leant over and kissed Krystal.

'Night, mum, Krystal called, as her mother turned off the light and left the room.

Just over twenty four hours later, Severus approached Krystal before she stepped into a compartment on the Hogwarts Train.

"Krystal, can I talk to you for a minute?" he said quietly, interrupting a conversation between her and Lily. She nodded and he drew her away, ignoring Lily's curious look.

"I just wanted to say thank you for your help,' he began, but she interrupted him.

"Are you alright?"

He looked a bit taken aback, but he answered her, saying, "Yes. I'm fine.' He paused, looking back at Lily.

"Did you…." he began, but she knew what he wanted to know.

"I haven't told anyone anything about what happened,' she said. "Only my parents because I had to. I won't tell anyone, Sev. It's no one else's business."

She looked at him with a frown. 'It's not first time that's happened, is it?' He looked down at the ground.

'No,' he said softly. 'It's not. But it was the worst.' He looked up at her, frowning slightly himself. 'He could have really hurt you, Krystal. You shouldn't have come anywhere near him.'

Krystal smiled gently at him. 'Yeah, so my dad has told me - over and over,' she said. 'I'm fine, Sev.'

He nodded, looking at her gratefully. "I ….I owe you, Krystal,' he said quietly. "If you need anything, ever, I promise I'll do everything I can to help."

Krystal smiled. "Well,' she said, slyly. "I do need help with my potions work." He smiled back at her.

"Yeah, alright. I'll help." Lily couldn't contain her curiosity any longer.

"Everything alright?" she called.

"Yep!,' said Krystal. "Sev's going to help me with my potions.' Lily smiled as Krystal and Severus sat down either side of her.

Krystal sat down next to Remus at Gryffindor table. "Hi! Sorry I didn't see you on the train, Lily just talks and talks sometimes. God, I am starving,' she said.

Remus grinned. "Me too,' he said. 'I hope the sorting doesn't go on."

Sirius turned away from James to smile at Krystal.

"Hi, Krys!" he said, enthusiastically. Krystal and Remus both looked at Sirius with bemused expressions.

"Hi, Sirius,' replied Krystal, somewhat cautiously, glancing sideways at Remus, who was also looking questioningly at her.

"I like your haircut, it looks really pretty,' Sirius said, with a grin. Remus frowned, and Krystal looked confused as she blushed a little.

"Um, thanks,' she said, uncertainly. Sirius turned back to talk to James, and Remus looked over at Krystal, disturbed to see a little smile on her lips.

"Remus seemed to be in a bad mood tonight,' Lily said to Krystal as they got ready for bed.

"Mmm,' Krystal agreed, wondering too, about her friend's bad temper that evening. Sirius had been particularly chatty with her all through dinner, startling Krystal. They were friends but he was being unusually attentive to her tonight. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Remus barely spoke, and when he did it was obvious he was unhappy about something.

'Boys! Why can't they just behave like normal people?' thought Krystal, with a frown.

"I heard something interesting from Frank Longbottom tonight,' said Lily, climbing into her bed and looking at Krystal with a smug smile. Krystal yawned as she climbed into her own bed.

"And what's that?' she said, rolling onto her side to look at Lily.

"Frank said that Peter said that Sirius said that he's going to ask you to go to Hogsmeade with him next month,' Lily said, bouncing a little excitedly on the bed.

Krystal looked confused, exhaustion making her brain slow.

"So, who's asking me to go to Hogsmeade?" she said, frowning.

"Sirius, of course,' said Lily. "Although, you wouldn't want to go with him, would you? I mean, he's a bit of an idiot….:"

Krystal rolled onto her back. Well, that explained Sirius' attentiveness at dinner. "He's not always an idiot, Lils,' she stated, yawning again.

"So, if he asks, you'll go with him?' Lily asked.

'Dunno,' she said, pulling the sheets up higher. 'Maybe. I've never really thought of him like that.'

Lily grinned. 'I've heard he's a good kisser…' she said with a giggle and she puckered her lips, making a sucking noise.

Krystal closed her eyes with a grimace. "Eww!' she said, trying not to let that mental image into her mind. 'Shut up, Lily."

Remus lay in his bed, feeling his bad mood increasing as James and Sirius mucked about.

"Could you two cut it out, please?' he snapped, annoyance obvious in his voice. "I'm trying to sleep."

The boys stopped talking immediately, but Remus was not to get any rest. He felt something bounce onto his bed, and opened his eyes to see Sirius sitting on the bottom of his bed.

"What's the matter, Remus?' he asked, bouncing up the bed until he was sitting next to Remus.

"Nothing, I just want some sleep,' Remus replied, turning over and closing his eyes again. Sirius looked at him for a moment, then nudged his back until Remus rolled back over.

"What?' he asked impatiently. Sirius looked over his shoulder to see where James was, then turned back to Remus.

"I was going to ask Krystal to go to Hogsmeade with me next month,' he confided. "I just wanted to check that was alright with you.'

Remus frowned. "What's it got to do with me?' he asked defensively.

Sirius stared at him. "Well, I thought you might like her. You spend a lot of time together…."

Remus shook his head. "We're friends, that's all,' he said, ignoring the twisting feeling in his stomach.

"So, you don't mind if I ask her out?' Sirius said, "I mean, she's pretty and nice and funny…."

Remus interrupted him. "No. I mean, fine. Go ahead, ask her out if you want. It's nothing to do with me."

Sirius grinned. "Well, if you're sure!' he said, brightly, jumping off the bed and sliding into his own. 'Night!"

"Goodnight,' said Remus, rolling over but his eyes were wide open.

'It's none of my business who Krystal goes out with,' he told himself firmly. 'She's my friend, that's all.'

He sighed. Sirius was right. Krystal was pretty, and funny, and smart and kind…..and not likely to go unnoticed by other boys for much longer. Remus didn't want to upset their friendship by revealing what he now realised was a crush, and secretly felt that there was no way someone like Krystal would look twice at him anyway, so he remained silent.

Sirius did ask Krystal to go to Hogsmeade, but she said she'd prefer to go with a group of friends - hiding behind her dad's refusal to let her date until she was at least sixteen (her mother having talked him into changing it from twenty). Remus, Krystal, Sirius, James, Lily and Peter spent the day getting their first look at Hogsmeade's large variety of stores; Lily tolerating James' presence as a favour to Krystal, who'd begged her to come with her.

Krystal rebuffed Sirius' attempts to hold her hand, although she did laugh at his jokes and didn't comment on how close he stayed to her throughout the morning. They were joined before lunch by Mary and Alice, two Gryffindor girls, much to Sirius' further disgust at the growing group and lack of opportunities to get Krystal by herself.

He did finally manage to get Krystal alone, when he took her to the Post Office to see the owls. The others didn't want to go, so they went together, Krystal reluctantly agreeing. Sirius didn't tell anyone what had happened in there, but after they came out, he was pretty cranky. That was until Heather from Ravenclaw started giving him the eye in the pub at lunchtime.

Lily went off with Mary and Alice after lunch, and James and Peter snuck away to Zonko's. Sirius, having finally realised Krystal was not falling for his charms, wandered off towards Heather and her friends, Krystal giggling as she saw him sit down next to the flirty girl.

"He shouldn't be flirting with someone else if he asked you out,' said Remus a little angrily. Krystal smiled at his indignation.

'I think I finally made it clear I didn't consider this a date,' she said. 'I'm happy he's out of my hair now to tell you the truth. Heather's welcome to him.'

'He gave up when you came back from the Post Office,' he said, watching her face. She bit her lip, holding back a giggle.

'What did you say to him?' Remus asked, sipping his Butterbeer. Krystal couldn't hide her mischievous smile.

"Just let him know he wasn't my type,' she replied, not wanting to embarrass Sirius by telling his friends the truth - that Sirius had tried to kiss her and that she'd told him that she really didn't like him in that way; that she really liked being his friend.

She took a sip of Butterbeer as well, glancing back over to see Sirius put his hand over Heathers'. She nearly choked on her drink; Remus also coughing up some liquid as he saw what she was giggling about. They watched as Sirius used his best moves on the girl, touching her hand and shoulder, and sitting very close. Remus watched Krystal as well, and felt ridiculously pleased that she seemed amused by Sirius' behaviour rather than upset.

"Want to go for a walk?' she said, unable to sit and watch Sirius in action without wanting to laugh out loud. Remus nodded, and they edged around the room, seeing Sirius leaning over to kiss Heather as they left. Krystal began to giggle loudly, and was shushed by Remus, who was laughing nearly as hard. He ushered her out of the pub, and they laughed loudly as they walked aimlessly through the streets of Hogsmeade.

They wandered off to the edge of the village, ending up staring at the Shrieking Shack, where Remus was due to spend the night the very next week. Krystal looked over at her friend, seeing his slight frown.

"Are you sure there is no potion or spell that could make it easier for you?' she said, pretty sure there wasn't, but hoping she was mistaken. He looked at her and smiled.

"No. There's nothing. Maybe one day…" He let his voice trail off as he turned back to the house.

They stood in silence for a minute, before Krystal said, 'You're so brave."

He turned to her in surprise as she continued talking, still staring at the shack.

"You never talk about it with me anymore, but I know about what happens to you when you transform, and it sounds so painful.'

She shook her head in awe. "I can't even stand going to the dentist. I could never go through what you do every month.'

Turning to look at him with worried eyes, she gave him a little smile. 'You're pretty amazing, Remus."

Remus felt a wonderful warmth spread through his chest as she spoke. But as much as he liked that she thought he was brave, he couldn't let her keep believing that. He blushed, unable to look at her, as he told her the truth about himself.

"I'm not brave,' he admitted. "I'm scared every month. Every time I change, I feel like I might die from the pain, and I worry I'll hurt someone one day, and not even remember doing it.'

He sighed. 'There's a reason werewolves are hated amongst normal people, Krys. We can't be trusted.' Shaking his head, he felt tears sting his eyes and blinked rapidly. 'There's nothing amazing about someone like me."

He was still looking at the ground, so he was startled when he felt her arms wrap tightly around his shoulders. He hesitated a moment, a little shaken by the warm feeling that spread over him, then put his arms around her waist. When she pulled away, he was surprised to see her blue eyes had lightened until they looked silver.

"You are brave, and don't ever say otherwise,' she said, almost angrily. "You didn't do anything to deserve all of this, but you don't complain. You just accept it. You're the kindest, gentlest person I know, Remus, and I trust you. I trusted you with all my secrets. I think you are the most amazing person I know.'

She still had her arms around his neck and his arms were still at her waist. She hugged him to her again, saying near his ear, "I don't like it when you talk like that, Remus. Please don't put yourself down again. Promise me?"

He could smell the shampoo she used on her hair when he nodded. 'She smells really good,' he thought.

'I'll try, Krys. I promise I'll try,' he managed to say, thinking that he would have promised her nearly anything right now.

They broke apart, their arms dropping back to their sides. Her eyes were blue again, and Remus wondered if he'd imagined the silver flash in them earlier.

"Come on,' she said, pulling at his hand. "You spend enough time here, lets go somewhere a bit more fun."

He smiled as she led the way back to Hogsmeade.

The weeks flew by: Christmas came and went, and James, Sirius and Peter seemed to be keeping secrets from Remus. Each time he entered their bedroom, they would stop talking or put away the books they were reading. After several weeks of this, Remus decided to confront them.

"What's going on with you lot?' he asked James as they got ready for bed one night. James looked at him then, sneaking a glance at Sirius, he answered, saying, "What are you talking about?"

Remus frowned, noticing that Sirius and Peter had stopped dressing to look at he and James.

"Look, if you don't want to be my friends anymore, then just tell me - don't ignore me,' he said, his voice rising as his temper flared. James looked at him, shocked: Remus rarely showed signs of anger.

"You've got it all wrong, mate,' cut in Sirius, his words earning him a hissed warning from James.

"No, James,' he continued, turning to the messy haired boy. "He thinks we don't like him, we have to tell him." Peter watched the three boys, his mouth hanging open slightly.

James looked exasperated, but threw up his hands. "Fine, tell him then,' he said, throwing himself on his bed and glaring darkly at Sirius.

"Remus, we are your friends,' Sirius began, sitting on Remus' bed and looking up at the lycanthrope. "We've been learning more about your…..problem, and we want to help." Remus looked confused, as he sat down next to Sirius.

"There's nothing you can do to help,' he said, appreciating the sentiment but unsure about what Sirius thought they could do to help.

Sirius looked over at James, who had moved and was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at the two of them.

"We know there's nothing we can do to stop it or make it hurt you less,' said James. "But we can make sure you aren't alone when you change."

Remus looked from James to Sirius to Peter, who had crept up to sit next to James. "You can't come with me,' he said, a note of panic in his voice. 'I could kill you - I probably would kill you."

Sirius put his hand on Remus' shoulder. "Not if we were animals too,' he said quietly.

Remus grew more and more disbelieving as James and Sirius explained their idea. They would become Animagus - wizards who could turn into animals at will. Remus paced, as Sirius told him that they had discovered that werewolves were more dangerous to humans than animals. They thought that, if they turned into large animals who could look after themselves, that they could join Remus each full moon. Remus shook his head, telling them that he wouldn't let them take this chance, but he was shouted down. James told him they had already begun learning how to become Animagi and that they were doing it, no matter what he said.

As he sat down again, Remus was on the brink of tears, touched by his friends' eagerness to help make this difficult time easier for him. "I don't know what to say…." he began, but was interrupted by Sirius.

"Don't mention it,' he said, breezily. "Just don't start crying, or we'll change our minds: we're not going through all this for you to turn into a Hufflepuff."

Remus grinned, and hit Sirius on the head with a pillow, sparking an instant rebuttal from the boy. With a loud war cry, James and Peter joined in, the boys game continuing until one of the prefects came to tell them off.

End of year exams crept up on the Third years, sending Peter especially into a panic. Remus helped as best he could, assisting the chubby boy with his revision. But Remus had his own problems, the full moon was due right before his first exams.

"Professor Dumbledore will let you out of exams though, won't he?' asked Krystal, as she lay on the grass next to him one Saturday.

They had just finished practicing for their defence practical exam, and were watching the clouds float gently across the sky, trying to find shapes in them.

Remus shrugged, saying, "I don't think so. He'll let me do them later, but I 'm just so tired after…..Look, a dog!"

He pointed to a large cloud, describing how he could see a dog in it when Krystal seemed sceptical.

"Do you want me to talk to him; try and get him to postpone it even more….."

Remus shook his head. Krystal had confided in him that the Headmaster was a relative of hers, one that she had become close to over the years.

"No, thanks anyway. I get enough special treatment as it is." Krystal glanced at him, then turned back to the sky.

"A lion,' she said, pointing up to a cloud overhead.

Remus squinted as he tried to see a lion in the cloud. "There's it's head, and it's mane,' Krystal said, looking over at him to see him still looking doubtful.

"Look,' she said, wriggling across the ground until her side was pressed up against his, their heads touching. She held up her arm, indicating each part of the cloud as she spoke.

"Eyes, nose, mane, ears. See, a lion,' she said, turning to look at him to see if he had seen it too.

He shrugged slightly, suddenly unable to think clearly. "Sorry, can't see it," he said, trying to keep his voice light.

She sighed in exasperation. "That was a good one too - you're hopeless, Remus: no imagination."

He laughed softly, and she joined in. She moved slightly so she wasn't so close to him, and Remus found himself able to focus again. They lay there a little longer, occasionally calling out some of the shapes they found in the clouds, teasing each other and laughing a lot.

Finally, as it got darker, Krystal stood up, brushing herself off with her back to Remus. His eyes slid involuntarily to her bottom as her hands brushed the grass off her pants, and he was startled to feel his heart speed up.

"Can you help me?' she asked, turning around to look at him.

Averting his eyes quickly, he stood as well, getting the grass off her jumper. He reached around to brush himself off, and felt Krystal's hands on his back, helping him. He jumped a little when her hands skimmed lightly over his butt by accident, and he turned around quickly.

"Thanks,' he said, feeling a little warm and wondering what exactly was wrong with him. She smiled and they walked up to the castle, talk turning back to the safe subject of their exams.

The rest of the term flew by and soon they were getting off the train at King's Cross Station. Krystal, Lily and Remus waved to James and Peter, and laughed at Sirius' face as his sour faced mother dragged him through the barriers. Severus waved to Krystal and Lily, looking back at Lily with a strange expression on his face, as he met his mother and they disappeared after Sirius. Lily's parents arrived and the girl hugged her two friends, making sure Remus knew to write to her, and telling Krystal she'd see her in a day or two.

Krystal looked around again at the rapidly emptying platform. She sat on her trunk, wondering where her parents were. Remus too, was surprised his normally overprotective parents had not arrived.

"Make sure you write again,' she said, looking up at him. He turned and smiled, sitting down on the trunk next to her.

"I will,' he promised.

"And you'll come and visit again, or I could come and visit you,' she suggested, bumping his shoulder with her own. He smiled again.

"Yeah,' he said. "Mum and Dad seem to be easing up a bit now I'm at Hogwarts."

She smiled sympathetically. "You can't blame them for being a bit…."

She stopped, trying to find a polite word. "Suffocating?" suggested Remus, with a grin.

Krystal laughed, as she saw Remus' father come through the barrier. "About time!' Remus called out, standing with a smile.

'Sorry, sorry,' he said hurriedly, hugging his son and greeting Krystal.

'Krystal, I think that's your mum coming now,' he said, picking up Remus' trunk and smiling at the two children, just as Krystal's mother came through the barrier.

'God, parking is a nightmare…' she said, hugging her daughter distractedly and saying a quick hello to Remus. Their parents introduced themselves, and Mr Lupin insisted on helping Krystal's mother out to the car with the trunk.

Remus and Krystal walked together and hung back a little as their parents loaded the cars.

'See if you can come over next week and we can go to the pool,' Krystal said, bouncing a little on her feet. Remus laughed at her and put a hand on her shoulder.

'Stay still,' he said, with a smile. 'You make me dizzy.'

She laughed, and suddenly, he did feel a little odd. He didn't have time to wonder about the strange sensation for long, as his father called out to him.

'See ya!' Krystal said, hugging him tight. Remus put his arms around her as well, a little more sedately and was alarmed at the heat he felt spreading under his skin.

'Bye,' he answered, swallowing hard.

Krystal kissed his cheek and ran over to her mother, waving as they drove off. Remus heard his dad chuckle, and as he got into his own car, thought he heard him mutter, 'Ahh! Young love.'

The holidays flew by. Remus and his parents went away for a few weeks, Remus writing often to tell her about where they were and what they were doing. On Krystal's fourteenth birthday, a package arrived from him, containing a card and a box of chocolates. Lily and Severus and Krystal spent a lot of time together, usually at Krystal's house, as Lily's sister hated Severus and, even though his father was now gone, Krystal's father absolutely forbid her going near his house.

One day, near the end of the holidays, Lily left early, leaving Severus and Krystal to eat their lunch together. They talked about their potions lessons, in which Krystal had greatly improved - thanks to Severus' tutoring. The discussion then moved to their defence lessons and they spent the afternoon in Krystal's room, chatting and trying out some spells from the new textbook.

Krystal left to get some drinks, returning quickly, catching Severus looking at a photo of her and Lily on a noticeboard. He looked up when she returned, and hastily moved away. Krystal gave him his drink, and sat down on her bed, bouncing a little. He sat on the chair at the desk, and opened his can of drink.

"So, are you going to ever tell her?' she asked, leaning back against her headboard and drawing her knees up.

His can froze on the way back from his mouth, as his dark eyes met hers. "What are you talking about?' he asked, cautiously, lowering the can to his lap.

"Lily,' she said, indicating the photo board behind him. "I know you like her, Sev. Why don't you tell her?" He clenched his jaw, a muscle jumping as he looked down at the can of drink.

"She would never like someone like me, not like that,' he mumbled, his face colouring. "You don't know that for sure,' she said gently. "Not unless you ask." He shook his head vigorously.

"No. I don't want her to know." He looked up at her. "You won't tell her, will you?' he asked urgently.

"Course I won't. Not if you don't want me to," she replied.

"I don't,' he said with finality.

She eyed him curiously, and he looked away, spying Remus' letters on the desk.

"So, what about you and Lupin? When are you two going to be announcing your engagement?' he said, his eyes lifting to look at her.

She frowned, saying, "What are you on about, Sev? Remus and I are friends: we don't like each other like that." He raised an eyebrow, and gave her a disbelieving look. "Really? You spend so much time together…" She sat up.

"No more than I spend with Lily, or you, for that matter,' she retorted, getting cranky now. "Just drop it, will you?"

He grinned at her, and copped a pillow in his face for his cheekiness., sending it back hard, nearly knocking her off the bed. She laughed and stood up on the bed, hitting him with the pillow over and over until he begged for mercy.


	5. Chapter 5

Warning: it starts to earn its M rating in this chapter. Some Solo Male action.

I love reviews! Please beware my fragile heart and be kind though.

Chapter Five

Krystal felt a tap on her shoulder as she waited for the Hogwarts Express with Lily. She turned and saw Remus grinning behind her. She smiled broadly at him, her face lighting up at the sight of her friend. She reached over and hugged him.

"Hi!' she said, happily. 'I thought you might miss the train." She let him go and looked at him closely. He was just a little taller than her when he'd left on holidays, but now… "You've gotten really tall,' she said, realising he was now at least a couple of inches taller than her.

"No, you just shrunk,' he teased, as Lily also greeted him with a hug. Krystal laughed, then shrieked as Sirius grabbed her from behind and lifted her off her feet.

"Hey, Krys, Remus. Hi, Lily!' James said, coming up beside them as Krystal smacked Sirius making him put her down with a grin.

"Potter,' she said, turning and walking away to collect her bags. Peter stuck his head between Krystal and James, laughing.

"I don't think she likes you all that much, James,' he teased, before James pushed him away.

"She'll come around,' he said confidently. Krystal caught Remus' eye as she followed Lily, and they both tried to hide their smiles. Lily couldn't stand James, but James wasn't going to take no for an answer.

The journey back to Hogwarts was full of chatter for the Fourth Years. Krystal caught up with all of Remus' news then sat with Lily and Alice, as the Marauders' huddled in the opposite corner, talking conspiratorially together. Krystal turned to Lily, who was eating a Pumpkin Pastie in the seat next to her.

"James is so into you,' she said, reaching over her to grab a Chocolate Frog from the pile on the seat between Lily and Alice.

The boy's eyes had barely left Lily while they were all sitting together, and his showing off had sent Remus, Sirius and Krystal into fits of laughter, which they hurriedly disguised as coughing when James glared at them.

"He's a prat,' said Lily, darkly, glaring over at the boys.

Alice snorted in laughter, nearly spitting out her pumpkin juice.

Krystal said, "I think the lady doth protest too much,' raising an eyebrow at Alice, earning herself a jab in the ribs from Lily.

"Could be worse, Lily,' Alice said as she shoved a chocolate in her mouth. "It could be Peter."

The three girls giggled, turning to look at the chubby boy, who, as usual, was hanging on James' every word. Krystal felt her nose screw up in distaste. She had never warmed to Peter, and was finding her dislike for him growing each year.

"Come on, Lily. James is alright,' Krystal said, leaning over for another sweet.

"So is Sirius,' said Alice, glancing approvingly at the good looking boy.

Krystal and Lily both looked startled at her suggestive tone, turning to stare at the other girl.

"Well,' she said, a little defensively, as she gestured surreptitiously to Sirius. 'Even if you don't like him, you can't deny he's cute."

Lily and Krystal's heads turned as one as they looked at Sirius: for the first time seeing him, not as a friend, but in a completely different way.

Lily raised an eyebrow. 'For a jerk, he is quite good looking, isn't he?' she said quietly.

"Mmm,' agreed Krystal with a frown, wondering why she'd never really noticed what the boys really looked like before.

Despite her 'date' with Sirius last year, she'd really never considered them boys, they were friends just like Lily or Alice. But now, looking at Sirius, she suddenly realised he was a really good looking guy.

'James is cute too,' said Alice, her eyes moving to the black haired boy, as did Krystal's. She bit her lip. He was nice looking as well, not as good looking as Sirius, but not bad.

'Oh, no,' said Lily, determined to dislike him, although she had given him a once over with her eyes as well. 'I think Remus is cuter than James. Not to mention much nicer.'

Alice nodded, enthusiastically, agreeing with the redhead as they both looked at Remus.

Krystal looked at the other girls, surprise on her face.

'Remus? You think he's cute?' she asked, turning to look at the boy she considered one of her best friends.

Alice laughed at her astonishment. 'Of course he is, Krystal. Are you saying after all the time you've spent with him, you've never noticed that he is pretty good looking in a quiet kind of way?'

Krystal was looking at Remus, trying to see him from Lily and Alice's perspective.

He really had grown over the holidays, taller than the other boys now. His light brown hair was getting longer as well, falling over his forehead. As she watched, he pushed it impatiently out of his eyes.

'He has kind eyes,' she thought. 'They're a nice blue.'

The thought came out of nowhere and she was a bit disconcerted by it. He smiled at something Peter said, and she felt a strange feeling in her stomach. He had a great smile that lit up his face. Lily was right: he was really cute.

She frowned, and put a hand to her still squirming belly, noticing how warm it was in the carriage suddenly.

"Are you alright?' said Lily, noticing her discomfort. Krystal looked away from Remus.

"Yeah, too much chocolate,' she said, deciding that must be the reason for the upset stomach.

"There is no such thing as too much chocolate,' admonished Alice, getting a laugh from Lily and Krystal.

Remus looked over at the three girls when he heard their laughter. He watched Krystal for a moment, feeling a little swooping feeling in his stomach before he looked away and sighed quietly.

'This crush is starting to get a bit full on,' he thought to himself as Peter went on about the problems he was having with the Animagus transformations.

He remembered Krystal hugging him at the station, and his mouth twitched. She hadn't been the only one to notice the changes that had occurred while they'd been apart, thinking about the new addition of a bra that he'd felt when he'd hugged her, and he couldn't help noticing that her chest had indeed inflated suddenly. He frowned and admonished himself. Krystal was his friend: he shouldn't be thinking like this about her. It couldn't lead to anything.

He snuck another look at her, watching her talking quietly to Lily. He'd always thought she was pretty, but she was getting more beautiful by the year. He felt disappointment heavy in his heart. Someone like her went out with good looking guys like Sirius or James. She'd never look at someone like him as boyfriend material.

He was saved from his thoughts when James turned to him. "Do you think Lily would go out with me?' he asked. Remus looked across the carriage to Sirius and Peter, who were both trying hard not to laugh.

"I don't know - maybe,' he said, trying to be diplomatic, but secretly thinking that James stood as much chance with Lily as he did of going out with Krystal.

Remus looked across the carriage at the same time James did. He saw the girls look over at them giggling, Lily's smile disappearing when she saw James looking at her. She turned back to Alice, ignoring him. Sirius and Peter laughed, and James turned to tell them off. Remus caught Krystal's eye and, when she smiled at him, he felt the same feeling as he had earlier, but this time in his chest. He smiled back, then Lily said something to her and she turned away.

The first few months of classes raced by uneventfully, all of the students noticing the work load increasing. James, Sirius and Peter had extra work too. They were still trying to become Animagus, the process taking a lot longer than any of them thought it would. Remus had tried to talk them out of it, telling them it didn't matter, but they insisted. They were keeping the idea a secret from everyone else, Remus made to swear not to tell Krystal, at least not until they'd succeeded.

Remus and Krystal were spending more and more time together; Lily complaining she felt like she never saw her friend. They practiced defence together each weekend: Remus marvelling at how powerful Krystal was becoming with wandless magic. After practice, they would lie around on the grass talking about everything: getting to know each other better than they knew anyone else. But there was one thing that was never spoken of; never acknowledged.

Remus was trying hard to keep thinking of her as his best friend - although, he was becoming very aware that she was a girl, feeling his super charged teenaged hormones revving up whenever he was close to her. But, unable to believe she would ever be interested in him like that, he accepted that they would only ever be friends.

Krystal was unaware of his interest, distracted by the changes occurring in her own head. She felt that squirming in her stomach a lot these days, always when she was with Remus. She was a little angry that Lily and Alice had made her look at Remus as 'cute', believing that they had forced her to look at her friend differently. Refusing to acknowledge that the way she saw him might be changing, she treated Remus just as she always had: as her best friend.

Christmas holidays came and went. As had become habit, the evening after the full moon had waned, Krystal took Remus his school work while he was in the infirmary, staying and taking him through what he had missed in each class that they shared. She was always disturbed by the new cuts and scratches she saw on him, but tried not to show him how upset his injuries made her.

"I can't find the definition of a Switching Spell,' he said, flipping through the pages of his Charms textbook. Krystal looked up from hers. She was sitting cross legged on the end of the hospital bed, Remus opposite her, their books spread all over the covers.

'He didn't look too bad tonight,' she'd thought earlier, although now she could see fatigue beginning to settle on his face.

"It's on page…….76,' she said, taking his book and quickly finding the page he needed. She held it back to him, and he took it, finding the definition on the very page he'd been looking at.

He sighed in frustration and fell back against the bed frame, letting the book drop onto his lap. Krystal looked up, concerned. "Give me that,' she said, closing the book and gathering the others up into a pile.

He tried to sit up straight again, saying, "No, I'm fine. I just needed a minute to rest.' She smiled knowingly at him.

"Yeah, right,' she said, putting the tower of books on the trolley next to the bed. He smiled at her, leaning back again.

She stretched her legs out alongside his, pushing his over gently so she had more room.

"This is _my_ sickbed,' he grumbled as she stretched out next to him, folding one of his pillows under her head, so she could lie back but still see him.

"Didn't your mother teach you to share?' she said, grimacing as she pointed her toes and circled her ankles, sore from being folded under her for an hour. He watched her wiggling her toes.

"Are you ticklish?' he suddenly wondered out loud, looking at her bare feet.

"Nope,' she said, quickly drawing her feet back towards her.

He grabbed one ankle and pulled her foot back towards him. She tried to jerk it out of his grasp, beginning to giggle as he ran his fingers over the bottom of it.

"Thought you weren't ticklish,' he said, beginning to laugh himself as he watched her fighting to pull her foot away from him, giggles strengthening.

'Remus, let go. Please,' she begged, her words coming out in between laughs, her voice sounding breathless.

He became a little breathless himself when he saw her smooth, pale stomach, her shirt riding up due to her wriggling. He put her foot back on the bed, stopping the tickling but still grasping her ankle. Her laughter died down, but she continued to smile at him.

"Jerk,' she said without venom, still trying to catch her breath. He smiled, feeling his heart race when he caught a flash of bright pink underwear as the waistband of her jeans slipped down a little.

Krystal sat up, pulling her shirt down properly, covering her stomach again. She slapped his hand off her ankle playfully, and swung her legs around, so that she turned around on the bed.

"Move over,' she said, poking him as she slid her bottom up to the top of the bed. He did as he was told, and soon they sat side by side, leaning up against the bed head. Krystal yawned.

"Tired?' he asked, surprised. She was usually a night owl, outstaying even Sirius, a notorious party animal.

She nodded. "Mmm,' she said, closing her eyes. "I didn't get much sleep last night.' He stared at her, wondering why she couldn't sleep.

"Because of you,' she said, startling him as she opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him.

"Sorry, my block slips a bit when I'm tired."

He blinked, still a little in awe of her ability to read minds, almost missing her next words.

"I was worried about you. I hate the full moon." He laughed at her grouchy tone, but felt another little twinge in his stomach. She lay awake all night worrying about him? She really cared that much?

He smiled and reached over for her hand, saying, "Thank you, but you don't need to worry about me. I've been doing this a long time, and, as much as I hate it, I can't change it. And neither can you." She sighed, moving closer to him and grimacing uncomfortably as his elbow dug into her side.

"I know, but it doesn't stop me worrying,' she replied, lifting his arm and placing it around her shoulders. He pulled her against his side, feeling a shiver run through his body when she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"You're a good friend, Krys,' he said, smiling down at her. She smiled back at him, her eyes sliding down to a newly healed cut on his forearm. Reaching over, she touched it gently, a frown on her face. She hadn't seen that one earlier. It looked nasty.

'It's ok. I've had worse,' he said, softly.

Krystal looked up at him, her eyes serious as she said, "And that is why I worry."

Before he could think about it, he'd leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. Krystal felt her skin tingle, but fought down her confusion over the sensation, smiling at him. She rested her head against him, wriggling a little to try and get comfortable. He lay there, leaning against the head of the bed, feeling her breathing slow as she drifted off to sleep.

Their friendship had always been an affectionate one: Krystal especially, was very physical; hugs, holding hands, an arm around the shoulders: all were a natural form of communication for her. Not just towards him, but all of her friends - much to Sirius' immense delight. But he was growing a little disturbed by the way his body had begun reacting to her when she touched him. Theirs was a friendship that he valued, and he didn't want anything to come between them.

He listened to her soft breathing as slowly, exhaustion overtook him, his own eyes beginning to close. He let his head fall against hers, smelling that wonderful scent of her hair as he also fell asleep.

"Mr Lupin,' the voice whispered. Remus opened his eyes. It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from a lit wand near his face, held by an unhappy looking Madame Pomfrey.

"What…' he began, but she interrupted him.

"What is Miss O'Connor doing in your bed?' she asked, stiffly. He looked down and saw Krystal still asleep against his chest. She'd moved a little, her body now lower on the bed and she'd turned onto her side, her arm curled across his stomach. He felt his body shake a little and he turned back to the nurse quickly.

"We fell asleep, I….I'm sorry. We were talking and…' he stopped, seeing the look on her face.

"Madame, can she stay here? She was so tired, and she shouldn't be walking through the castle at this time of night. I'll move to another bed."

The nurse looked at him, frowning. "It really isn't what it looks like,' he said. 'We're just friends, we just…..fell asleep." She sighed disapprovingly, but pointed to a bed across the room.

"Go and get into that bed, Mr Lupin, and don't let me catch you back over here."

He nodded, saying, 'Thank you' as he carefully slipped out of bed, lowering Krystal's head onto the pillow. Followed closely behind the nurse, he quickly got into the other bed, apologising again as he lay down, trying to hide his grin.

"You could have woken me,' Krystal said grumpily as she and Remus left the infirmary the next morning. They had just listened to a five minute lecture on appropriate interactions between boys and girls from Madame Pomfrey.

"I fell asleep too,' he said. He looked over at her, and saw the corners of her mouth turn up in a smile.

"I thought she was going to have a heart attack,' she admitted, with a giggle.

Remus smiled too, saying, "You should have seen her last night when she found us."

She shook her head with a laugh, as they climbed through the portrait to Gryffindor Common Room. "You'd think she found us naked by the way she was acting,' she joked, not seeing the colour rise in Remus' face at her comment. "I'm going to shower before class." She waved at him and ran up the girl's dormitory steps.

Several weeks later, just before the Easter break, the Hogwarts students were enjoying breakfast, some beginning to depart for classes when Professor McGonagall called out in a loud voice. "All Fourth Year classes are cancelled for the day." James and Sirius looked up from their meals, a hopeful look in their eyes. "All Fourth Year students will remain in the Hall after breakfast. All other students are to get ready for their first class."

"What's going on?' asked Peter, looking at James for information, but James shook his head.

A couple of Fifth Year students laughed as they stood up, one of them poking Sirius as he left, saying, "Hope you didn't eat too much breakfast, Black - this'll be hard on the stomach."

Sirius stared at him as he left, turning to look at the other students. Krystal looked down at the sausage on her fork, paused half way to her mouth. She put it down, glancing over at Lily.

"What's happening?' she whispered to her friend.

"I don't know,' replied Lily, looking concerned.

When all of the other students had left, Professor McGonagall stood in front of the staff table.

"Will you all stand, please?' she called, watching as they stood, the house tables and chairs disappearing. Peter had still been sitting on his chair, falling to the ground as they vanished.

There was an outbreak of laughter as a red faced Peter scrambled to his feet. Professor McGonagall shook her head, then waved her wand, and dozens of chairs appeared at the front of the hall.

"Everybody find a seat, please. It doesn't matter where,' she said, turning her back to the students as the chairs were dragged and scraped against the floor.

Remus sat between Krystal and James, leaning across to talk quietly to Sirius. Lily and Alice were speculating about what was going on, Krystal listening closely. Professor McGonagall turned away from the other unhappy looking teachers behind her, and faced the students again, clearing her throat. All voices immediately fading and all faces turned curiously to her.

"Each year at this time, the staff have a special class with the Fourth Year students.' Krystal and Lily looked at each other, then quickly turned back as McGonagall continued. "We understand that this is a difficult time for some students. Changes are occurring in your mind and your bodies. We are here to help answer any questions you may have about these changes."

Some of the students looked confused still, including the Gryffindors, but James raised his hand.

"Excuse me, Professor,' he called, looking delighted. "Is this a Sex Education class?' Many of the students laughed, but many looked stunned, staring at Professor McGonagall, waiting for her to deny it.

"Sexual education is something that will be discussed today,' she confirmed, glaring at James, and Krystal suddenly understood the Fifth Year boys' earlier comment about this being hard on the stomach.

She leaned over to Remus, who was looking a little sick as well.

"Please tell me I didn't just hear McGonagall say 'sexual',' she said, in a disgusted tone. "I wish I could,' he said, his face reddening.

There was murmuring from around the room, many students were blushing, some were laughing, most looked like they might be sick. The teacher's separated the students into boys and girls, and they moved to either end of the hall. Krystal looked up at Remus as they stood. "Good luck," she said mournfully as she followed Lily.

"You too!' he called, looking less enthusiastic than James and Sirius, who were grinning.

Several hours later, they sat, still slightly stunned, in their Common Room. Sirius was laughing, and bouncing around the room. "Did you see Grant's face when he explained what an erection was?' he said to the boys.

Krystal groaned, and grimaced at him. "Do you really need to rehash the whole thing, Sirius?' she said, her face screwed up. 'It was painful enough the first time.'

He laughed and lurched at her, ending up on her lap.

"Don't you want to know what we learnt today, oh beautiful Krys?' he said, fluttering his eyelashes at her, as the others laughed.

Krystal closed her eyes. "God, please just strike me down now,' she prayed, hearing Lily's muffled laugh.

Sirius wriggled on her legs and put an arm around her shoulders, obviously settling in. Remus watched him with a slight frown. He didn't like seeing Sirius all over her like that.

"So, tell us about what you lot learnt?' he said, looking at Krystal, Lily and Alice, who were sitting side by side on the couch.

Alice looked at him, and said, mischievously, "We learnt about how all teenaged boys are inconsiderate pigs who only think of themselves, so we girls should learn to get ourselves off, as we can't rely on you to do it."

Dead silence greeted this statement, everyone in the group staring at Alice. Finally, the silence was broken by James, who was now sitting up at attention.

"Holy shit!' he said in wonderment. 'I wish I'd been with you lot! Did Bailey really say that?"

Krystal and Lily responded immediately with a loud, "No!"

Lily expanded, glaring at Alice. "I don't think she said that exactly…."

Alice shrugged, saying casually, "Yeah, but the meaning was clear. Boys are fairly useless at sex at first, so you have to make sure you know your body, so you can show them how to make it feel good for you as well."

"Alice!", hissed Lily and Krystal, warningly, but it was too late. James and Sirius grinned broadly, Peter perked up, bouncing a little on the floor where he sat, and even Remus sat up taller in his chair.

"She didn't really say that, did she?' he said weakly, looking at Lily and Krystal. Lily turned to look helplessly at Krystal, who was resolutely staring at the ceiling.

Sirius, still on her lap and looking delighted, said, 'Tell us, Krys, did she describe to you exactly how you should, um, get to know your body?" He gasped as Krystal straightened her legs, letting him drop to the ground.

"It's nothing to ashamed of, girls,' James said, grinning. "I mean, we could even find some time to help out if you wanted us to."

Krystal stood, her face flushed. "I think the point of us needing to get to know our bodies, James,' she said, viciously, "is because you lot would need a map to find your way. We all know where boys keep their tiny, little brains." Her eyes flicked down to the front of his pants then she spun on her heel and left the room.

Lily, grinning, stood and followed, hearing Sirius mutter, "Excuse me everyone. With that thought, I think I need to go and get to know my body right now."

Remus tossed and turned that night, unable to get to sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about what the girls had said this afternoon about 'getting to know their bodies'. He felt himself get hard as an image of a naked Krystal rose unbidden in his head. Trying to ignore his aroused state, he rolled onto his back, flapping the sheets to try and cool himself down.

Remus was still a bit of an innocent about sex and everything that came along with it. He'd gotten his very first conscious erection one night last term, laying in bed thinking about Krystal hugging him that day, and how he'd felt her ever expanding bust pressed against his chest. Panicking a little, he'd quickly tried to think of the most non sexual thing he could imagine - Professor McGonagall. The image had worked - at first. Now his physical reactions to his thoughts of Krys were becoming more frequent, and embarrassing.

He had been concerned at first over the holidays when he had awoken one morning to find his pyjamas a sticky mess; concern quickly turning to mortification when his dad came into his room that night and launched into an awkward explanation about wet dreams and masturbation. He'd had several more wet dreams since that night, but took his dad's advice and learned how to use the washing machine at home. He couldn't do that at school though, but had taken to getting up early when it happened, washing his clothes so as not to leave the evidence for the house elves to clean up.

He had also been suffering through many more unwanted erections, particularly late at night and early morning. Remus had listened to his father's stilted talk on ways the problem could be resolved, but had not attempted to relieve himself yet, finding it a little embarrassing in a room with his friends, or with his parents in the next room at home. He'd heard his friends occasionally at night; late when they thought everyone was asleep, and didn't want that to happen to him, so he usually just gritted his teeth and waited until the problem subsided.

This time though, as he lay there, he couldn't stop his mind wandering back to Krystal, and his problem was only getting worse. The thought of jerking off to an image of his friend made him feel uncomfortable, but he was actually hurting a little now, as his balls tightened painfully.

"God,' he muttered, frustrated, under his breath, hesitating just a second, before plunging his hands under the covers.

He slid one hand down his pants, and touched his cock. Even that light touch caused him to twitch. Taking a breath, he grasped his shaft, moving his hand slowly up and down. His eyes closed as his hips jerked at the new sensation. He quickly found a rhythm that worked, marvelling at how good it felt as he bit his lip to stop himself making a noise.

It only took a minute for his movements to become hurried, and his breathing to speed up. Concentrating on how he was feeling, Remus tried his best not to let his thoughts drift to her, but it was when he couldn't stop himself from imagining how Krystal's hand would feel on him, that he moaned loudly, his body arching off the bed as he felt himself explode.

As his breathing began to slow down, his body also relaxed.

'Wow,' he thought, with a soft laugh, 'I really have been missing out.'

He felt a little guilty that he had thought of Krystal as he masturbated - was that a bit perverted? One thing was for sure, he'd have to make sure he never thought about this moment when he was around her. If she read his mind….. He shook his head, not wanting to even think about that happening.

As he removed his sticky hand, he grimaced, wondering if he could sneak off to the bathroom without waking anyone. He sat up and rummaged one handed in his bedside table drawer for clean pyjamas.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard Sirius' voice whisper, 'You don't need to change, just use your wand to clean up. 'Scourgify' is the cleaning spell. And hurry up, I'm trying to sleep here."

Remus closed his eyes in humiliation for a moment. He shook his head as he slid the curtain open further to get his wand off the side table, not surprised to see Sirius laying in bed, staring at him.

The dark haired boy grinned. "First time, huh? I always thought you were just really quiet,' he said, a laugh escaping him when he saw Remus' expression.

"Don't be so embarrassed, Moony,' he said, using Remus' nickname. "It's not like we don't all do it. I know for a fact you're not the only one who did it in here tonight."

Remus grabbed his wand, saying quietly, "Too much information, Sirius."

His friend laughed. "I just had to lie here listening to you jerk off, and you are complaining about too much information."

Remus blushed, saying, "Yeah, ok. Point taken. Goodnight."

He had reached up to close the curtains, when he heard Sirius say, "Krystal, Lily or Alice?"

Remus put his face up to the crack in the curtains, saying, 'What?' and wondering if Sirius could read minds as well.

Sirius grinned again. "Krystal, I'll bet. Alice is nice looking, but not like Krys and Lily, and you are too much of a goody two shoes to fantasise about the chick James likes. So that leaves Krystal. Although,' he said, sitting up. "I don't blame you. I must admit, she was on my mind tonight too."

He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Remus, despite feeling relieved he wasn't some kind of pervert, felt like punching him in the face.

"Goodnight, Sirius,' he said firmly, closing the curtains as he heard Sirius laugh softly again.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks, MoonNightLover for your lovely review. Cheers! Anyone else? C'mon...I swear there'll be some sex soon...Lots and lots of sex...**

**BTW: I know these chapters are long - some will be longer, some will be shorter. Stick with it. It'll be worth it.**

**Warning: Attempted rape in this chapter. Not all that descriptive but if you don't like, don't read. Not essential to understanding the story. You'll get the drift.**

Chapter Six

The embarrassment and awkwardness of the 'sex talk' as it was dubbed by the Fourth Years, took a few days to dissipate; Sirius and James not helping matters by describing in great detail the particulars of what they had learnt, as well as trying to get the girls to expand on what Alice had told them about their talk.

Remus felt incredibly embarrassed around Krystal, trying desperately not to think about the last few nights. He'd given in to his fantasies, imagining all kinds of scenario's involving a partially clothed Krystal touching him in ways that made his breathing become laboured. He finally got over it when Krystal noticed his preoccupation, threatening to use her Occlumency skills to find out what was wrong with him. He knew she wouldn't really - she'd promised she wouldn't, but the threat was enough to make him behave as normally as he could.

Easter break finally arrived, much to the everyone's relief, and Krystal went off to Lily's house to spend most of the holidays, Severus meeting them each day in the park. Krystal spoke to him again about revealing his crush on Lily, but Sev refused, telling her he didn't want to talk about it. She didn't push him: afraid he'd stop her potion tutoring if she did.

Remus' fifteenth birthday came around when they were back at Hogwarts; just before the panicked studying for exams started. Krystal spent the day in the hospital wing with him, sympathising with him about the unfairness of having a transformation the night before his birthday. She'd bought his presents up to him; Madame Pomfrey preferring that the other boys didn't visit as they were too noisy.

'Box of chocolate frogs, box of Bertie Botts Beans, box of Sugar Quills. Gee, they put a lot of thought into those presents, didn't they?' she scoffed, taking a bean and popping it into her mouth. She chewed hesitantly, then quicker when she tasted the bubblegum flavour.

Remus smiled at her. 'Where's yours then, Miss Originality?' he asked, glancing at the collectors card that came with the Chocolate Frogs before putting the whole sweet in his mouth.

Krystal grinned, and pulled a small wrapped present out of her bag. 'Don't say I don't do anything for you,' she teased, handing it over to him. He laughed and unwrapped it, his mouth falling open when he saw the wristwatch inside.

'Wow, Krys!' he said, taking it out.

'I asked your mum and dad last time I was over your house and they said they weren't getting you one until your seventeenth - sorry if I ruined the surprise - but you're always asking the time. It's not a really expensive one, but it'll do you until your parents get you a good one.'

She stopped talking and looked at him. He was staring at her strangely.

'If you don't like it, you can take it back and swap it,' she said uncertainly, but he blinked then shook his head, grinning at her.

'No, I love it,' he said, putting it on his wrist. 'Thanks, Krys.'

He leaned over and hugged her, feeling goosebumps break out on his skin when her arms went around him.

'No problem,' she said, her mouth near his ear. Their embrace lingered a little longer than usual, and Remus felt quite warm when she pulled away.

'So,' she said, looking a little pink herself as she held up two textbooks. 'DADA or Charms?'

Remus pointed to the DADA book and Krystal smiled.

'Chicken,' she murmured, knowing he had more difficulty with Charms theory than DADA.

Remus smiled as well, then looked down at the watch again while she was rummaging through her bag for quills and parchment. He _was_ always checking the time, hating to be late, and Krystal knew how much it irritated him to keep asking. She'd gone to his parents to talk to them about what they were getting him and had obviously put a lot of thought into the gift. Remus closed his eyes, feeling his hopes rise

'It means she's a really good friend,' he told himself. 'Don't read anything else into it.' 'Are you alright?' Krystal asked, seeing him close his eyes. 'We don't have to do this now if you're not up for it.'

Remus opened his eyes again and saw her concerned face. 'I'm fine,' he said with a smile, shaking off the feelings. 'Alright, you win, smarty pants. Hit me with Charms.'

A couple of weeks later, the students were preparing for their end of year exams, Krystal hoping all her time stuck in the damp dungeons with Sev were going to pay off.

"Um, a Shrinking Potion?' she said, looking at Severus with hopeful eyes as she gave him the answer she prayed was correct.

"Finally!' he exclaimed, slamming the book shut. "My work here is done."

Krystal giggled, and tried to kick him playfully with her foot. "It's been sooo hard on you, hasn't it?' she teased, grabbing her textbook off him and shoving it into her bag.

"You are not a natural potion maker, Krystal, but you should be able to pass your exams next week,' he said, with a smile, picking up his bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

She smiled at him, copying his movement. "Thanks for your help, Sev,' she said gratefully.

He shrugged as they left the dark, dank potions room. They walked up the stairs, talking about their plans for the upcoming holidays. When they came out into the Entrance Hall, Krystal saw two older Slytherin's move away from the shadow's where they had been standing, and approach them, their eyes glinting.

"Who's this then, Snape?' said the tall blonde seventh year, looking at Krystal in a way that left her feeling like she needed a shower.

Severus looked at her, concern in his dark eyes. "This is Krystal. I'm tutoring her. She was just leaving, Lucius,' he said, with a trace of anxiety in his voice, his eyes held a warning that Krystal caught.

"See you, Severus,' she said, backing up a little to move to the stairs behind them. The other boy moved quickly, blocking her way and putting his face right up to hers.

"What's your hurry, gorgeous?' he said, with an unpleasant smile. Krystal looked at Severus, who now couldn't hide his worry.

"I've got a detention,' she invented wildly, 'with Professor McGonagall. She's expecting me."

It was late - she didn't know if they'd buy her excuse.

They didn't. The boy called Lucius laughed. "Ooh! So you're a naughty girl, are you? I like naughty girls."

He reached out to touch her hair, looking at her dangerously when she tried to pull away. She bumped up against the other boy, feeling his hand on her butt, shocked when he tried to move it between her legs. Lucius grabbed her arm and pulled her against him hard, rubbing himself on her even as the boy behind her pressed into her as well. She felt something hard against her bottom and was suddenly very scared.

"Lucius,' Severus said, trying to distract the older boy, but the dark haired student pointed his wand at him, casting a Petrification spell sending Severus crashing to the floor.

The older boys laughed, and Krystal felt the dark haired boy's hands run up from her hips to her breasts, trapping her arms against her sides.

She gasped and tried to pull away, the boy holding her breasts laughing and leaning down, saying, "Go ahead and fight me,' he whispered. "I love it when they struggle."

The blonde reached around her, grabbing her ass and squeezing. "You should feel privileged we chose you. Don't you know who I am?' Lucius said, moving a hand and seizing her hair again and tugging on it sharply.

"An asshole,' she retorted before she could stop herself, her eyes flashing silver in anger.

Lucius' blue eyes widened and he glared at her furiously, as he slapped her hard across the face, making her vision go blurry for a moment.

"You little bitch!' he growled, pulling his wand from his pocket.

Krystal, terrified now, felt a pulse of heat rush through her, making the boy behind her loosen his grasp.

'What the hell?' he said, moving his body away from hers.

Taking advantage of his distraction, she got her arms free and raised her hand, casting a hex. She watched as a white light flashed and Lucius' face began to swell alarmingly. He roared, and the other boy moved forward, gripping her arm tightly again. Krystal waved her other hand at him, and felt his fingernails scrape her skin as he flew backwards, falling hard onto the stairs.

Krystal ran for it, racing up the stairs and along the hall towards her common room, looking over her shoulder to see if they were following her. She was nearly there when she ran into something, and would have fallen if hands hadn't grabbed her shoulders. Screaming, she lashed out, trying to get the hands off her, when she heard a familiar voice. "Krys, stop. It's me!"

She stopped flailing around, recognising Sirius' voice. Breathing heavily, she looked at him, seeing his troubled face.

"What's wrong?' he asked. "What happened?" But her voice failed her. She could only shake her head, feeling a sense of panic quickly taking over her. He could see how upset she was, and he hugged her to him for a moment.

"It's ok, Krys,' he said softly, pulling away to look at her face again. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head, her breath coming too quickly, she felt like none of it was reaching her lungs.

"What's going on? Who screamed?' She heard a second voice now, and saw Remus and James stepping out of the portrait hole, their faces creased in concern. Remus saw Sirius holding Krystal and moved quickly to them, putting his hand on Krystal's shoulder. "What's wrong?' he asked urgently. By now, her breath was coming in gasps, and her eyes were wide with fear.

"I think she's hyperventilating,' said Sirius in a low voice.

Remus took her by the shoulders, and made her sit down in the middle of the corridor. He knelt in front of her and held her face in his hands, making her look at him.

"Krys, you need to slow your breathing. Come on, watch me, alright? In and out, slowly,' he said calmly, demonstrating what he wanted her to do. Sirius crouched down next to them, a frown on his face.

"Come on, sweetheart. Just try, alright,' he asked, as she shook her head. "That's it, slowly. Sirius,' he said quietly. "You'd better go and get McGonagall."

Sirius took off, running down the hall, James stepping closer.

'Should I get Lily?' he asked and Remus shook his head, still looking at Krystal.

He breathed with her, not letting his eyes drop away from hers once. Her respiration finally slowed, until she was drawing regular, shaky breaths.

"Better?' he asked, his eyes clouded with fear and concern. Krystal nodded, feeling the tears coming and fighting against them.

Remus saw her eyes welling up, and his heart hurt for her. He reached over and pulled her to him, holding her to his chest as she struggled to control herself.

"It's alright, Krys,' he whispered, stroking her hair. "I've got you now. It's ok."

He looked up as he heard footsteps and saw Sirius returning with Professor McGonagall.

The teacher crouched beside them. "Miss O'Connor, what's wrong? Are you ill?' she asked. Krystal shook her head.

"No,' she said, her voice hoarse. She lifted her head off Remus' chest and looked at the teacher.

"They t…touched m….me….,' she choked out, still shaking as her hand moved to her breast, seeing the look of understanding on McGonagall's face. "D…downstairs. They grabbed m…me, and L…l…Lucius hit m…me."

Remus looked at her, his face shocked. "He hit you?' he said, indignantly. She nodded, and he felt anger flood through him.

He stood up rapidly, saying, 'Where is he, Krys?" in a stony voice; James and Sirius coming up next to him, their own faces furious.

Professor McGonagall stood as well. "No, Mr Lupin,' she said firmly. "Leave this to me, thank you. I need you to take Miss O'Connor to the infirmary. She needs a potion for shock. Off you go!"

She waved her hands, then turned and strode down the hall.

Remus, breathing heavily, fell to his knees again in front of Krystal, taking her hands. 'Where did he hit you?,' he asked, anger making his voice shake as he looked at her. Seeing the red mark on her face, he gently touched her chin with a hand, applying pressure until she turned.

'God!' he hissed, the hand print obvious on her pale face. He squeezed her hand tightly, rage like he'd never experienced bursting inside of him.

Sirius also knelt, holding Krystal's arm, looking at Remus in concern. He could see the absolute fury in his normally gentle friends' eyes and was startled by it.

'Remus….' he said softly, trying to bring his friend's attention back to the task at hand. "I'll help you. Come on, Krys.'

James returned to the common room, his eyes stormy, as Remus and Sirius helped Krystal up, each putting an arm around her, walking her to the nurse.

Madame Pomfrey got her changed into a gown and into bed, giving her a potion to counteract shock as the boys watched on worriedly. Krystal's shaking subsided after a few minutes, and she was able to tell Remus and Sirius exactly what had happened. As she went through it, she saw their faces go hard, Remus squeezing her hand tight when she got to the part where they touched her breast, then Lucius hitting her.

When Madame Pomfrey shooed them away from the bed, Krystal saw Remus saying something to Sirius, who nodded, leaving the room quickly. The woman fussed around Krystal for a while, taking her temperature, checking blood pressure, poking and prodding at her; ignoring Krystal assertions that she wasn't sick, she was fine.

Remus saw her still shaking hands and pale face and said in a low voice, 'Krys, stop being so damn stubborn and let her make sure you're alright. Please?'

Krystal heard the worry in his voice and stopped fighting the nurse.

Remus stood near the end of the bed, watching, and when Madame Pomfrey found the bruises and scratches on her arm where the second Slytherin grabbed her, his eyes closed for a moment, his jaw clenching. When he opened his eyes, Krystal could see the anger there. The nurse gave Krystal a second potion.

"This will help you sleep, love,' said the woman. "Drink it all."

Krystal took the vial, but didn't drink it, seeing Professor Dumbledore arrive in the hospital wing.

The Headmaster was frowning and he approached Krystal quickly, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Are you alright?' he asked, obviously concerned. Krystal nodded, and felt tears sting her eyes again, blinking furiously to try and keep them at bay.

"Professor McGonagall alerted me, and I have spoken to Mr Black, who found me and told me what happened."

Krystal glanced over at Remus, who was watching her closely from the end of the bed. So, that's where Sirius had gone so quickly: Remus had known she needed to see someone from her family. She felt a strange, tight feeling in her chest as she looked at him, and put her hand to it with a frown.

Dumbledore didn't see her movement, he was now telling her that he had spoken to the Slytherins.

"Sev tried to help me, Albus, but they hexed him…" She stopped, hoping he wouldn't be angry with her. "I know I shouldn't have used my magic, but…"

He shook his head, clasping her hand. "No. You should never have been put in that position. You must have been terrified. Everything you did was fine." He paused. "But I'm afraid tonight's events have raised a problem."

He glanced at Remus, saying, "Perhaps Krystal and I could talk in private for a moment, Mr Lupin."

But she interrupted, "No, I want him to stay. He knows everything, Albus." Dumbledore looked at her, a frown creasing his face as his eyes searched hers.

"Very well. The problem is that Mr Malfoy knows you did not have a wand when you cast those quite clever hexes. He comes from a family that….,' he paused. "Lets just say, his family is not one I want knowing about your abilities."

He looked over at Remus again, then back at Krystal. "What I am about to ask you is completely unfair and I will understand if you wish to yell at me, but I would like your permission to Obliviate all those involved in the argument tonight. Including yourself, if you wish.'

Krystal frowned, and Remus said "No way!" loudly.

"I know it is unthinkable of me to suggest it and under normal circumstances, those boys would be on their way to a Ministry hearing now, but you know I cannot let them leave knowing about your abilities."

She nodded, beginning to feel a little numb from the events of the night.

Remus looked angry as he started to speak, but was interrupted by Krystal.

"Do it - it's fine,' she said shakily. Dumbledore looked at her piercingly.

"You understand I can not then punish them for something they don't remember doing?' he said. 'I will let the teachers all know what has happened and for the rest of their time here, we will ensure they have no opportunity to attempt this again, but they will receive no formal punishment for what they did to you tonight. "

Remus frowned. "So, they just get away with it? They attack her and Malfoy hit her, but they get away with it? Did you see the bruises on her? God knows what would have happened if she hadn't gotten away from them."

His voice had risen with his temper. Dumbledore stood, and faced Remus.

"Her parents and I believe it is important that Krystal's abilities are protected. I know this doesn't seem fair, and I do not like it anymore than you, Mr Lupin, but I believe this is the only course of action." He turned to look at Krystal.

"Do you trust me? Do you understand that I believe it is important to keep your abilities secret?' he said.

She nodded. "Have you explained this to Mr Lupin?' he asked, turning back to Remus.

"I would never tell anyone. Krystal knows she can trust me,' he said, defiantly.

Dumbledore looked at him for a moment, his eyes, so much like Krystal's, seemed to be looking for something. Then he smiled, and nodded.

"Yes, I believe she can,' he said softly. He walked over to Krystal and kissed her on the top of her head.

"Take your potion now,' he said. "I'll let Madame Pomfrey know that Mr Lupin has permission stay as long as he likes." He smiled at Krystal.

"Thanks, Albus,' she said, leaning back on the pillows as he left the room.

Remus came closer, sitting on the spot the Headmaster had just vacated. "Are you alright with this?' he asked, angry that Dumbledore wasn't going to punish the Slytherins.

"I just want to forget about it,' she mumbled, rubbing at her aching face.

Remus gritted his teeth: he could still see a handprint on her face, and it was beginning to bruise. He forced his anger down. Krystal didn't need him ranting and raving right now, she needed comfort and support.

'Are you going to let Dumbledore Obliviate you?' he asked, more gently now.

She shook her head. 'No,' she said, with a frown. 'I hate the thought of there being a….gap in my memory. That things have happened to me that I can't remember.'

'It's not something you want to remember though, Krys,' he said, his eyes concerned.

'I don't want him to Obliviate me,' she insisted, and he decided to drop it. She could be stubborn when she wanted.

'Does it hurt still?' he asked, touching her face carefully. Krystal shook her head, feeling her chest tighten again when his fingers brushed over her skin.

'No,' she said softly. 'It just feels kind of hot now.'

Remus frowned then laid his cool hand over her still red skin. It did feel hot. Krystal felt a little shiver run through her.

'It's alright, Remus,' she told him, trying to smile. His lips tightened a bit, and his frown deepened.

'No,' he said firmly. 'No, it's not alright, Krys. None of this is alright.'

Krystal swallowed hard. 'Don't do anything,' she warned, knowing how hot headed Sirius and James could be, and seeing how angry Remus still was. 'You can't do anything to them. They won't remember.'

Remus' jaw clenched, and he moved his hand to her shoulder. 'You should get some sleep now, Krys,' he said, ignoring her request, knowing that there was no way he was letting them get away with this.

"You don't have to stay, Remus,' she said, not wanting him to go, but wanting to give him the choice.

"I'm not going anywhere,' he said, taking her hand before handing her the potion from the side table. "Drink,' he ordered.

She smiled, relieved, and took it off him, but held it in her hand. "Thank you,' she said, her eyes finding his. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

He swallowed hard, and smiled at her. "I'm sure you would have got along alright,' he answered, his face colouring a little.

"I don't know about that,' she said softly.

She looked so vulnerable that he wanted to hold her and promise her nothing would ever hurt her again. He settled for hugging her, feeling her body relax a little as her head rested on his shoulder. Remus' hand made it's own way to her head, running over her hair. He felt his heart rate rise, and that wasn't the only physical reaction he had to her nearness. Quickly, he kissed the top of her head and pulled away.

'Come on, now,' he said when they broke their embrace. 'Drink - get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up, I promise.'

Her lip shook a little before she put the vial up to her mouth and drank all of the potion, it's effects instantaneous. Remus caught the vial as it dropped from her hand, then slipped off the bed, making her more comfortable before he sank into a nearby chair to watch over her, sleeping fitfully until the sky lightened.

"So, what are we going to do to them?' James asked the next day, looking over at the other Marauders.

Remus shook his head, saying, "She doesn't want us to do anything. If we attack them, we'll get in trouble - they don't remember anything."

He yawned widely. He'd not slept much in the chair next to Krystal's bed, but hadn't wanted to leave her. Madame Pomfrey had sent Krystal back to her room this morning, with the order to rest. She was in her room with a hovering Lily; the boys talking in their room.

Sirius frowned, pacing the room. "We can't let them get away with this,' he said.

He was nearly as furious as Remus, having seen what bad shape Krystal had been in immediately after the attack. There was silence for a few seconds, then Sirius stopped moving, looking up with a smile.

"If we can't do anything to just those two, we'll have to do something to all of them."

Krystal lost weight in the two weeks following the attack, and had large black circles under her eyes, giving away how little sleep she was getting. She wasn't really herself: now moody and quiet. Her friends had tried to keep her spirits up but she was becoming more withdrawn by the day.

Remus had even gone to Dumbledore, asking him for help. The Headmaster told him that he had contacted Krystal's parents, who had arranged some counselling for her when she returned home. Krystal had talked them out of coming and getting her immediately, saying she wanted to finish exams and travel back to London with her friends.

She hadn't participated in any of the end of year celebrations, preferring to sit in the common room on the couch next to the fire, Remus insisting on joining her. They didn't talk much, just watched the flames, but Remus was determined to be there if she needed him.

'Krys,' he said quietly, after most of the other students had disappeared off to bed. 'You know you can talk to me if you need to, don't you?'

She turned to look at him, smiling slightly. Curled up in the corner of the couch, she looked small; fragile.

'I know,' she said softly, taking his hand. 'I just can't. Not yet.'

He frowned, but nodded, saying, 'Well, I'm here when you want me.'

Krystal looked at him for a second, then sat up and bought his hand to her mouth, kissing it lightly.

'Thank you,' she whispered. She put the cushion that had been under her head on his lap, and lay down, her hand resting on his leg.

Remus hesitated a moment, then did what his instinct told him to do; what he desperately wanted to do - touch her. His hands moved: one to her hair to stroke it gently, and the other to her waist, resting it there lightly. He looked down at his hand moving over her head, watching it until he could hear her breathing become regular and knew she had fallen asleep. He then put his own head back against the couch and closed his eyes. He was pretty sure she wouldn't have felt his reaction to her, but that didn't ease his frustration with his treacherous body.

"They're up to something,' Lily said, looking at the Marauders suspiciously the next morning, school holidays almost upon them. Krystal looked up as well, glancing down the table at the four boys.

"How can you tell?' she asked, thinking they all looked perfectly innocent to her. "Because they don't look like they're up to something - it's a dead giveaway,' Lily responded.

Krystal smiled at her, looking back down at her cereal, poking at it. Lily looked at her in concern. 'You need to eat something,' she admonished her friend, frowning.

"I'm fine, Lils,' she said. "I'm just not hungry."

Lily sighed. "Krys…" she began but was interrupted by a loud screech from the Slytherin table.

"My face,' screamed a dark haired Seventh year girl. Her words were nearly drowned out though, by several more screams as the Slytherins all began to jump up from their seats, holding their faces.

'What on earth?' said Lily, as she and Krystal watched the commotion. The dark haired girl who first yelled, turned around and they got a look at her face.

She was covered in pus filled boils, as was almost every other Slytherin at the table, including Malfoy and Dolohov, the boys who attacked Krystal. The other students gasped, then laughter started to trickle through the Dining Room. The teachers came rushing down to calm the students, starting to shoo the Slytherins to the hospital wing for treatment.

Remus looked over at Krystal, as the other Marauders laughed along with the rest of the school. She had her mouth covered with her hand, but Remus could see the laughter on her face. When Lily turned to her and said something, Krystal took her hand away and Remus saw her grin.

He smiled himself, relieved to finally see a smile back on her face. He looked back towards the Slytherin table, and across from him, saw Sirius looking at him with a half smile on his face. He had a knowing look in his eye, as he turned away to watch as the Slytherin table emptied.

As Krystal stepped off the Hogwarts Express the next evening, her parents rushed over to hug her.

"Mum, Dad, I'm fine. Jeez,' she mumbled, a little embarrassed at their over reaction.

"Hi Mr and Mrs O'Connor,' said Remus, stepping down onto the platform after Krystal. "Hello Remus,' they said, Krystal's mother hugging him, to his surprise.

"Thank you, Remus. Albus told us how you've looked after her,' she said.

Remus turned red, and shrugged. 'I didn't do anything,' he mumbled, embarrassed by her gratitude.

Her parents went to collect her trunk, and Krystal turned to her friends, who had come up behind her and Remus.

"I wanted to say thank you to you all,' she said, turning a little pink as they all looked at her. "I know I've been a pain the last week or so, but you've all been really kind."

Lily came to stand next to her, putting an arm around her shoulder.

Krystal looked at the four boys in front of her. "I don't know who put that Bubotuber pus in the Slytherin's pumpkin juice, but I'd love to thank them, whoever they are,' she said, knowing it was them, but she had not being able to get them to admit it on the train. They all grinned, then one by one said their goodbyes as parents arrived.

James gave her a one armed hug, trying unsuccessfully to draw Lily in with the other arm. He left with a wink at Krystal. Peter smiled at her and waved as he left with his mother. Sirius gave her a tight hug as his father watched disapprovingly.

"You're welcome,' he said, letting her know who's idea the prank had been. Krystal grinned and squeezed him hard.

'Thanks, Siri,' she whispered, and he gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Lily's dad called to her, and she gave Krystal a hug, promising she'd call the next day before she ran off.

Remus had seen his father collecting his trunk, and talking to Krystal's parents. He looked at her and smiled.

"I'm glad you're starting to feel better,' he said.

She looked at him with a small smile on her face. "Thanks mainly to you,' she said, as they moved slowly towards their parents. He flushed as she took his hand.

"There is something I was wondering about, though. Almost every Slytherin at that table drank that Bubotuber spiked juice, except for three. One of whom, just happened to be Severus, which is strange because he really likes pumpkin juice."

He tried to look nonchalant as he said, "Yeah, that was a lucky break for him."

Krystal stopped, her smile broadening as she nodded. "Mmm, very lucky. You know, it's almost as if someone warned him not to drink the juice."

His attempts to keep a straight face were failing miserably as he shrugged and said, "Can't think who would have done that."

Her smile faded and she looked at him, her eyes serious. "I can."

She put her arms around his neck and hugged him hard. Her voice was shaky as she said, "You are a really good friend, Remus. Better than I probably deserve."

He put his arms around her waist, saying into her ear, "I'd do anything for you, Krys - even protect Snape." He heard her soft laugh, and felt her breath on his neck.

"Thank you, Remus,' she whispered, pulling back slightly and putting her hand to his face. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, very close to the corner of his mouth.

His mouth trembled when he felt her soft lips near his, and he wanted nothing more than to turn his head and feel her lips on his. It felt different to the kiss she had given him last year, and his eyes closed as he felt his chest squeeze tight. 'She's my best friend,' he told himself, repeating it like a mantra. 'I can't feel like this about her. I just can't.'

Krystal also felt the small kiss shake her. Remus had been her best friend for years now, but was rapidly becoming so much more. She felt safe around him, could relax around him in a way she couldn't with anyone else. He was her soft place to fall, and the way she was beginning to feel about him scared the hell out of her.

They stared at each other in confusion for a moment, the tiny kiss having released suppressed feelings for each of them. Remus opened his mouth to try and say something, but his father called to him. He looked over at him, then back to Krystal, who had shaken off some of the emotion that had gripped her.

'See you soon,' she said softly, taking a step back. He nodded, unable to trust his voice. He moved towards his father, turning half way there to look back at her and wave. She was watching him, and smiled when he waved, lifting her hand to echo the gesture.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Krystal's parents took her away for the entire length of the holidays, figuring she needed some time out. She had some counselling, and found the strength to begin to put the incident behind her. Although she enjoyed the time abroad with her parents, she missed her friends, writing often to Lily and Remus, and even a few times to Sev, James and Sirius, although she only sent Peter a postcard: she just couldn't warm to him, but felt guilty for leaving him out.

On her fifteenth birthday, presents found their way to her. A box of chocolates each from Sirius and James, a low cut hot pink shirt from Lily, which drew disapproving glances from her father, and a book of short stories by her favourite author from Remus. Her parents over protectiveness gradually eased, by the time they arrived late at the train station for the trip back to school, they were actually letting her out of their sight for short periods.

"Make sure you write, and go to Albus if there's any trouble,' her dad called, puffed from heaving her heavy trunk onto the slowly moving train, as Krystal jumped onto the stairs. "I know, I will,' she said loudly, waving as the train picked up speed, pulling away from the platform. She stayed there until they were out of sight, then picked up her knapsack and set out to find her friends. She found The Marauders first, setting up a game of Exploding Snap in a compartment.

'Hiya!' she said, brightly, sliding open the door. They looked up as she entered. She heard James mutter something, and they all fell silent. She shoved her bag into the luggage rack, swaying a bit as the train moved. After making sure it was safely stowed away, she turned back to the boys, startled to see them all still silently watching her. "What?" she said, her brow crinkling in confusion.

"Holy shit!" The mumbled profanity had came from James, but Remus was thinking it when he saw Krystal walk into the compartment. She was tanned from six weeks in France with her parents, and her once long hair now ended an inch below her ears, but there were other, much more interesting, changes as well.

As she reached up to put her bag away, his eyes ran over her body. She'd gotten taller: her legs seeming to have doubled in length under her mid thigh length shorts. Her hips had rounded, and Remus felt his heart rate speed up as he saw her shorts pull tight over her butt as she tried to keep steady. She was wearing a hot pink top that was cut low in the front, showing she had developed in that area as well. It rode up when she gave her bag a particularly hard shove, flashing them a glimpse of light brown skin and a gently curved waist. Remus was glad he was sitting down, because he was suddenly shaky, and was having trouble breathing properly.

"Jesus, Krys,' said Sirius, staring at her. "You got hot!"

She laughed, not really taking the notorious flirt seriously, and moved to sit next to Remus on the seat. They were all still watching her, their mouths slightly open.

"Seriously, I haven't changed that much," she said, a little unnerved by the way they were looking at her.

James grinned at her from the seat opposite, saying, "I like that top, Krys. You should lend it to Lily sometime."

She smiled, "Lily gave it to me,' she said. "I think hers is blue."

Trying not to laugh at the expression on James' face, she turned to include Sirius, who was sitting next to James, in her next comment.

"Thanks for the chocolate's by the way. I ate both boxes, so I've got you to thank for my fat ass, which required a whole new wardrobe. My dad wants to talk to you about his credit card bill."

Sirius grinned at her, "Hmm - give us another look at that fat ass, Krys,' he said, laughing when she told him to bugger off.

She turned to Remus, who still hadn't taken his eyes off of her. "Hi,' she said, a smile lighting up her face. He managed a smile back at her.

"Hi!' he said, his voice shaky sounding. She looked past him and greeted Peter, who squeaked a hello back.

James and Sirius went back to their game, and Krystal looked at Remus, with a frown. She leant towards him, until her hair brushed his face and he felt her breath near his ear.

"I don't look that different, do I?' she asked quietly, sounding a little insecure. "I only got my hair cut. I did put on some weight…"

Remus felt a snort of disbelieving laughter leave him, and she stopped talking. He turned to look at her, her blue eyes seeming even brighter against her new tan.

He moved his head until he was able to whisper in her ear, 'You look fantastic, Krys, just like you always do."

She pulled away from him, smiling even as her face coloured a little. He turned to watch the unfolding game of Exploding Snap in front of them, his own face a little red. Krystal sneaked a glance at him, noticing some changes in him.

He had gotten even taller. His shoulders seemed broader, and she had felt a little shiver when she heard his now deeper voice whisper in her ear. She could see a slight shadow on his chin and jaw, and could smell a fresh smelling aftershave. His hair had been cut, but was still a little long, touching his collar at his neck, and hanging over his forehead. His face looked stronger, more mature. She felt a squirming in her stomach as her gaze dropped to his lips. She promptly looked away, giving herself a little mental shake.

A loud bang and a puff of smoke distracted her from her thoughts and she joined in the laughter as Sirius tried to wave the smoke out the window. She turned to Remus again to thank him for his gift. They spent the next hour talking about their holidays: Remus had a transformation, showing Krystal his new self inflicted scar when she demanded to see the damage.

He watched as she gasped and gently ran her finger along the long scar on his collarbone. As he felt the pad of her finger touch his skin, he shivered, causing her to look at him in concern.

"Did I hurt you?' she asked, taking her hand away quickly. Remus shook his head. "It….it's just a little achy, it doesn't hurt,' he fibbed.

The scar was completely healed - it had been her touch had made the tremor run through him. He closed his eyes for a moment, and tried to force his hormones to behave.

He pulled his shirt back into place and opened his eyes, looking at her and asking about her counselling sessions. She frowned slightly as she talked about the psychologist she had seen during her break. The woman had been nice, and had helped her.

"But…' said Remus, concerned by her frown. She tucked a loose hair behind her ear, and glanced over at the others who were now arguing vigorously about which Quidditch team would win the cup this year. Seeing that they were engrossed in their discussion, she swung her legs up onto the seat and hugged them to her chest, sliding towards Remus.

"Don't tell anyone?' she said in a low voice, leaning closer to him 'Especially not Lily: she'll tell her parents and they'll tell mine…." Remus shook his head, leaning in as her voice dropped.

"You know I won't tell anyone,' he assured her. She gave him a quick smile, which left her face just as fast.

"I'm still having the nightmares I wrote to you about. They aren't as bad or as often, and the counsellor said they should stop eventually. It's no big deal really, I just don't want to worry mum or dad." Remus was worried.

"What are the nightmares like?' he asked, seeing her face cloud.

"It happens all over again, but in my dream, I can't do wandless magic, and I can't get to my wand. They…they hurt me, and no one helps."

She stopped talking when she heard her voice get shaky, hating the sign of weakness.

Remus slid even closer on the seat until they were touching. Her hands were wrapped around her knees, holding her legs to her chest. He put his hand over hers, rubbing the top of her hand with a finger. She watched his finger move along her skin, feeling a rush of heat through her arm.

"What can I do?' he said softly, looking at her, hating that she was going through this. She shook her head, smiling up at him.

"Nothing, I guess,' she said quietly. "This is something I just have to work through. Thank you, though - for wanting to help." She put her free hand over his, and he smiled at her.

"Hey you two - none of that!' called James, grinning as he, Sirius and Peter watched the interaction between Krystal and Remus. Startled, their hands dropped and they moved away from each other hastily. The situation was diffused by the arrival of the lunch trolley, the boys all jumping up and fumbling for their money. Remus looked at Krystal, who stood.

"I should go find Lily and Sev and say hello.' she said, not meeting his eye. She spun around and left the compartment, sliding past the lunch trolley.

Remus slumped back against the seat, confused and frustrated. He wished he could control his physical reactions to Krystal; their friendship meant the world to him, but he felt like his attraction to her was beginning to interfere in the way they interacted. Sirius flopped down in the seat next to him, seeing his disquiet.

"All right?' he asked, opening a Chocolate Frog. Remus nodded. Sirius stopped what he was doing and looked at him closely.

"James was just mucking around, Moony,' he said. "He didn't mean to scare Krystal off. But…..you two did look pretty cosy there. You were holding her hand - what's going on?"

Remus shook his head, saying, "Nothing. Nothing is going on. We were talking and she was upset."

Sirius lowered his voice, as James and Peter sat down opposite them. "You like her though?' he asked. 'I mean, as more than just a friend now?'

"She's my best friend - I just…." he shrugged, not knowing how to put his jumbled feelings into words.

"You're just wondering when she got so hot?' he asked with a grin, seeing Remus' surprised look. "I saw your face when she walked in, Remus. I mean, we were all pretty impressed, but you looked like someone had Stunned you."

He smiled ruefully at Sirius. 'Yeah, I guess I've got a bit of a crush on her or something. I don't know. She's just so….'

'Gorgeous?' finished Sirius, and Remus grinned.

'Yeah,' he agreed. 'I guess it was a bit of a surprise seeing her today. She changed a lot in a couple of months.'

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "She sure did,' he agreed, his eyes looking a little unfocused as he gazed off into the distance. "Did you see those legs? Where was she hiding those all these years?"

Remus started to feel better. The others were seeing Krystal in a different way as well, and although he wasn't entirely happy about that, it meant his feelings seemed to be normal. Maybe he was making too much out of something that was a normal, healthy reaction to a pretty girl. He snatched the Chocolate Frog off Sirius, stuffing it into his mouth. A small scuffle broke out, James and Peter cheering them on.

Krystal found Lily with Alice and Mary, some of their Gryffindor classmates. After a hug and a quick chat about their holidays, Krystal pulled Lily aside.

"Lils, I need help,' she said, her voice low. Lily looked at her, her face impassive as Krystal told her about the feelings she was having. "Why am I noticing this all of a sudden? I mean, he's been like this for the last four years…."

Lily smiled. "Yeah, but we've all changed a lot over the last four years. For example, your boobs didn't always look that great in a shirt,' she said, looking at Krystal's top.

Krystal laughed, and they were both distracted for a few minutes, debating whether Lily's identical blue top would look any good on her, as she was a bit smaller in the bust than Krystal, who seemed to have developed all at once - going from flat to a C cup quickly. Alice and Mary left the carriage to find some friends from Hufflepuff and the two girls were left alone.

Krystal leant back against the window. "So I'm normal? All this stuff is just hormones going crazy?" Lily nodded.

'I think so,' she said. "Remember that sex talk last year. Professor Bailey said that hormones make you feel all strange. You and Remus spend a lot of time together. I suppose it's only natural that you should start to notice he's a boy one day."

She looked at Krystal and smiled evilly. "You haven't had an urge to touch yourself in a bad place, have you?"

Krystal laughed and threw the Liquorice Wand she was eating at her friend, who in turn pelted her with Bertie Botts Beans.

The short battle over, Krystal had a sudden thought and turned to Lily, not sure whether she really wanted to know the answer.

"Lils, have you? Had a urge to touch yourself in a bad place?' she asked, using her friends' turn of phrase. She was shocked to see Lily's face turn red.

"You have?' she said, sitting up straight in the seat.

Lily bit her lip, turning to see if anyone was nearby. She slid down the seat towards Krystal and turned back to her curious friend, nodding

Krystal's mouth opened a little. "You really did?' she asked, a little in awe.

Lily, her face the same colour as her hair now, nodded again.

Krystal chewed the inside of her cheek. 'What was it like?' she said, her curiosity getting the best of her.

Lily smiled. "It's a bit strange at first, but once I found the right places, it felt really good." Krystal looked at her friend and blushed, laughing. "I can't believe you did that,' she said, grinning.

'You keep thinking about Remus like you are, you might be doing it soon enough,' she joked, giggling when Krystal smacked her on the arm.

"And who were you thinking about Lily Evans, when you discovered the wonders of masturbation."

Lily turned even redder. "No one in particular,' she said, glaring at Krystal.

"Wouldn't be someone with the initials, JP, would it?' she teased, ducking as Lily aimed a pillow at her.

Breakfast at Hogwarts the next day was a rowdy affair, as students caught up with each other, and Heads of House tried to give out timetables. Krystal took hers from Professor McGonagall, running her finger down the column for that day's classes.

"Double Defence - fantastic!' she said, her eyes lighting up. "Then break, then Double Charms, lunch, and Herbology." She looked up at Lily. "That's the best Monday I've ever had."

"Pretty good, isn't it?' a male voice said, and the two girls looked over the table to Remus sliding into the seat across from them, next to Frank Longbottom. They went over the rest of their timetables together, Lily was doing Arithmancy, instead of Muggle Studies like Remus and Krystal, but otherwise all their classes were the same.

Lily was distracted by her friend Mary, who wanted to compare classes as well, and Remus leant over the table.

"How did you sleep? No nightmares?' he asked in a low voice.

She shook her head. "Nothing,' she smiled. He nodded and smiled back as Peter sat down next to him, grabbing a handful of toast.

The first weeks of classes went by quickly, the Fifth Years now groaning about the sheer mass of work they were expected to do. They would sit their OWL exams at the end of the year, so most of the work was revision, but the pressure had begun. Krystal had woken several times with the nightmares, although they weren't as frightening as they had been.

James and Sirius were determined to beat Krystal in their Defence classes this year, and challenged her to a duel late one Sunday afternoon after the Christmas holidays. Most of the Gryffindor House came out onto the grounds to watch, braving the cold, snowy conditions. Krystal lined up against James first, their Defence teacher having agreed to officiate, keen himself to see three of his most promising students using their skills - even if it was against each other.

The battle was over quickly, with the crowd in a stunned silence over how quickly Krystal dispatched James. Even James was more impressed than embarrassed.

'Why didn't you warn me how good she was?' he asked Remus, but he just shook his head. He'd never seen her in full duelling mode before, their practices only usually focusing on one area and they took turns. He was almost as amazed as everyone else seeing her fight.

Sirius stepped up now, and he only lasted a few seconds longer than James. Krystal laughed at the look on his face, putting out her hand to help him up. Sirius grabbed her around the waist as he jumped up and kissed her right on the lips. Krystal pushed at his chest, but he pulled away quickly.

"Will you marry me?' he asked, getting a laugh out of Krystal and the crowd; all except Remus, who was standing shocked by the wave of jealousy that nearly floored him. He took a few deep breaths when he saw Sirius back off, laughing. He knew Sirius was a joker and a flirt, and that he got a little carried away sometimes. It was a full moon that night: he could get a little over sensitive around this time.

Their defence teacher was talking to Krystal, and Remus saw her grin and nod. He was surprised to see the man withdraw his wand and move back, facing her.

'He's not going to fight her, is he?' Remus said worriedly. 'Is that right? A teacher duelling a student?'

Sirius and James looked over and Sirius grinned. 'I bet you a Galleon he doesn't last more than two minutes, James,' he said.

James agreed and the crowd called out encouragement to Krystal, all wanting to see a student beat a teacher. Krystal caught Remus' eye and grinned before sending a hex at her teacher. He blocked it, sending a Body Bind hex back. Krystal parried it, angling her shield so that the spell rebounded back at her opponent. When he raised his wand and used a shield to protect himself, Krystal sent a Petrification spell at him, timing it so it hit him just as he lowered his protection to curse her. The man went stiff as the spell struck him in the chest and he fell to the ground. A cheer rose from the watching students, as Krystal muttered the counter curse to allow her teacher to get up.

James grudgingly slapped a Galleon into Sirius' hand as they watched their teacher laughing and congratulating Krystal. The crowd started to thin, and James and Sirius were shaking their heads.

"Is she like that when you practice together, Moony?' asked Sirius, looking back over at Krystal, talking to her defence teacher, who looked impressed.

Remus shook his head, saying, "I've never seen her do that before."

James looked at him. "I was going to say that if you watched her doing that every weekend, it's no wonder you've got the hots for her."

Sirius laughed, agreeing with James. "It was pretty awesome watching her - she's amazing, as well as having that incredible ass…" His voice trailed off as he saw Remus' face.

"Ah, we should go James,' he said hastily, pulling at James' arm. They waved to Remus and took off.

Krystal walked over to him, having finished talking to her teacher. Her face was pink and shining, her eyes sparkling and he felt another rush of heat spread through him - not jealousy this time, but something completely different. She smiled at him and linked her arm through his, walking back to the castle.

"Did you see their faces?' she giggled, and he couldn't help laughing with her.

The sun was setting and the full moon was due that night. They walked up to the infirmary, so that Madame Pomfrey could take Remus to the Shrieking Shack for his transformation. They stopped at the entrance to the hospital wing, both their faces unhappy now.

'I'll bring you your work when it's over," she said, her eyes revealing her fear.

"Thanks,' he said, his own jaw tensing as he thought about the night ahead of him. Krystal took his hand in hers, sensing his unease.

"You are a good person, Remus,' she said, squeezing his hand. "This is just the smallest part of who you are."

He gave her a smile, pulling her to him in a one armed hug, not willing to let go of her hand. He felt his heart start to pound faster at the feel of her body against his.

'Are you ready Mr Lupin?' said Madame Pomfrey, hurrying out of her office. She had grown accustomed now to the teenagers' shows of affection, Krystal and Remus both spending time in the hospital wing each month. Although she didn't approve, she had never seen any inappropriate behaviours, unlike some of the other students. They pulled away from each other, and Krystal stepped back.

"Go easy on yourself tonight,' she said. He nodded and followed Madame Pomfrey down the stairs.

On the evening after the full moon had passed, Krystal re-entered the hospital wing, dragging two bags of books. Madame Pomfrey appeared from behind a curtain, and she frowned seeing Krystal.

"I don't think he's up for a visitor yet, Miss O'Connor,' she said, coming forward and stopping Krystal.

The young woman stared at the nurse, saying, "What do you mean? He's usually fine to see me now." She saw the uneasy look on the woman's face and felt a bolt of fear shoot through her. "What's happened? Is he alright?"

"I don't think Mr Lupin would object to a visit from Miss O'Connor, Poppy,' came a voice from behind the curtain.

Krystal saw Albus Dumbledore walking towards her, a soft smile on his face as he reached her side.

"He will be fine, Krystal,' he said soothingly, seeing the scared look on her face. "He has had a tough time of it though. He is very battered and bruised, so be prepared when you see him."

Krystal looked up at him, then moved quickly to the curtain, parting it. She felt faint when she saw the person lying on the bed. Her knees wobbled a little and she lost her breath for a moment, as she took in his injuries. There was barely a spot on his face, arms or bare chest that wasn't bruised and cut. She felt Albus move so he was standing behind her.

'Albus?' she whispered, an unasked question in her voice.

"It is not unusual at this particular age, for lycanthropes to become more violent,' he told her. 'It's hormonal. Remus' body is changing, his hormones and sexual drive are changing - therefore, so is the wolf's. He has no one else, nothing else to take his frustration out on, so he takes it out on himself.'

He paused, looking down at her. 'It may get worse before it gets better,' he warned.

He put his hands on her shoulders. "He may sleep for a while. Madame Pomfrey knows you have permission to stay as long as you like tonight, but I would like you to go to classes tomorrow, if you can. He'll have a lot to catch up on and he'll need your help."

Krystal nodded, moving to the side of the bed and pulling a chair up as close as she could. She took Remus' hand carefully, trying not to hurt him further.

The adults left, pausing in the doorway to the nurse's office. "Do you think it's a good idea to encourage this, Headmaster?' said the nurse.

"He recovers quicker when she is here, does he not? She makes him feel stronger; she wants to be here,' he said. "Their friendship isn't inappropriate."

"Not yet,' she interrupted. "You and I both can see where this friendship is headed, Albus. The way they look at each other; touch each other…'

"Love will find a way, Poppy, whether we keep them apart or not,' he said, looking back over to his young cousin. 'They are sensible young adults. They are good for each other. Lets just concentrate on that for now, and worry about the other later."

Krystal was sitting in the chair, still holding Remus' hand four hours later when he stirred.

"Krys?' he croaked, his eyes slowing focusing on her.

"Hi,' she said, trying to disguise her concern.

His hand moved to his throat, and she guessed what he wanted, grabbing a glass of water from the side table for him. She helped him to sit up a little and held the glass to his lips. When he'd finished, she sat back down in the chair next to him, clasping his hand in both of hers again.

"Sorry,' he said, his voice still rough, but stronger.

"For what?" she said, stroking his hand, trying to offer comfort to him.

"You told me to take it easy,' he said slowly, and she smiled.

"Well, I am pretty pissed at you, and if you hadn't already beaten yourself up, I might have done it for you,' she said softly.

His eyes closed for a second then opened again. "Bad?' he asked.

Krystal nodded. "Yes, you are,' she said, with a smile which faded as she spoke again. "You did a good job on yourself, Remus. Broken arm, broken collar bone, broken nose, fractured cheek. You have lots of bruises and a few pretty decent cuts. Lucky for you chicks dig scars.'

She was trying to keep things light, but felt her lip tremble as she rattled off his injuries, biting it to keep it under control.

"Doesn't hurt,' he said, with a frown, stretching his limbs cautiously.

"Madame healed the bones and cuts straight away, and she's given you some smokin' pain potions. I'm surprised you woke up before OWL's,' she teased. He tried to smile, the corners of his mouth turning up.

"You should go. Get some sleep,' he said, his eyes drifting shut again for a moment. She felt her lip tremble again at the thought of leaving him like this.

"Not a chance,' she said. "I want in on those pain potions next time Madame brings them around." He looked at her and squeezed her hand.

"Come here then,' he said, trying to move on the bed.

"I am here,' she said, with a frown.

He shook his head and moved again, laying his hand on the mattress, saying, "Here. Please, Krys. I need you closer."

And he did. Remus felt weaker than he ever had before, and scared. Very scared about the amount of damage he'd done to himself. He needed her; to feel her near him; to have her hold him. He couldn't think about whether it was the right thing to ask, he just needed her.

Krystal flushed a little but smiled. 'Isn't that inappropriate interaction?' she teased, kicking off her shoes. Despite that fact she would get her butt kicked by the nurse, she had no intention of saying no to him. She could see how scared he was; could hear it in his voice.

'You'll get me in trouble you know," she said softly as she carefully climbed onto the bed and lay on her side next to him.

'Roll over,' she whispered, helping him. She wrapped her arm around his waist, curling her body against his back, feeling heat rush through her. Laying her head next to his on the pillow she asked, 'Is this ok?', worried she would hurt him.

'Mmm,' he said, his eyes closing for longer this time as his hand found hers on his waist and bought it up to his lips, kissing it. "Better."

He turned his head a little towards her, holding her hand to his chest. "Thanks Krys,' he whispered.

She smiled and put her other hand over his eyes, gently closing them. "Go to sleep, Remus,' she ordered, softly.

She felt his body relax and knew he'd fallen asleep. Krystal lay with her forehead pressed against his back, reassured by his heart beat under her palm and the rise and fall of his chest.

'He's safe now,' she told herself. But she still couldn't bring herself to go to sleep, watching over him all that night.

She ignored Madame Pomfrey's disapproving stares each time she came to check on Remus, and her heavy hints that she should go back to her room. Krystal only fell asleep in the early hours of the morning, when the dark sky began to turn grey as the dawn approached.

Madame Pomfrey woke her a few hours later so she could go to breakfast with her classmates. They had both moved in their sleep, Remus now on his other side facing her; their arms around each other, her head nestled into his shoulder.

'How is he?' Krystal asked a little embarrassed at the position she had woken in. She climbed off the bed carefully so as not to wake Remus. He mumbled a bit in his sleep as she slipped out of his embrace, frowning before his face relaxed again.

'He'll be fine. I'll probably let him go back to classes tomorrow,' the nurse responded, looking at her as she tiredly rubbed at her eyes. She handed Krystal a potion, telling her it was a Pepper up solution.

'You look exhausted, Miss O'Connor. This will help."

Krystal drank it gratefully, instantly feeling more awake and energetic. She thanked the woman and gave Remus a quick kiss on the forehead. She left to shower in her room before classes.

She told the others how bad he had been this time, and was startled to see the a grin cross Sirius' face before he saw her watching. The day dragged, Krystal getting turned away from the infirmary at lunchtime to let Remus sleep. After a quick dinner, she made her way back up the stairs, yawning widely. She heard a laugh from the top of the stairs, and looked up to see Remus standing there.

"Tough night?' he asked, with a grin.

A smile broke across her face as she ran up the rest of the stairs and threw herself at him.

"You're feeling alright?' she asked, her mouth next to his ear.

She felt his arms tighten around her waist, pulling her flush against his body. 'Yep, I'm all better now,' he said, in an unusually flirty, very Sirius-like way.

She felt heat rush through her body at his words and his touch and, feeling a little light headed at the sensation, she released him, feeling his hands slowly slide around to her hips and stop there, keeping her body close to his.

"You look a lot better,' she said, trying to keep her tone light, and ignore her suddenly pounding heart.

"Madame Pomfrey gave me a talking to about the inappropriateness of girls in boys beds before I left,' he said with a laugh, making her smile.

'Yeah, I got a few of those last night,' she said.

He looked into her eyes and his smile faded. "She told me you stayed with me all night. And that you were awake every time she came in to check on me,' he said softly, staring at her with a strangely intense expression. 'Thank you, Krys."

She took a deep breath; the way he was looking at her made her feel weak.

"That's what friends are for aren't they?' she asked, suddenly feeling overwhelmed.

Sirius became her unlikely saviour, seeing Remus and running up the stairs.

"Hey, I was coming to see you,' he said, noticing the tension, but choosing to ignore it for now. His news was too big.

"That project I've been working on,' he said, finally seeing Remus look at him, dropping his hands from Krystal's hips. "We had a bit of a breakthrough. Come and see." Remus smiled, distracted from Krystal, which suited her right now.

"See you both later,' she said hastily, continuing onto the common room, unaware of both boys watching her as she walked away.

Sirius sighed. "Her ass really is…."

"Perfect,' broke in Remus, surprising Sirius as well as himself by his slip.

"So, the crush is still going strong then?' Sirius asked, as they followed her at a distance.

Remus sighed this time, and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know,' he admitted for the first time. "I think ……I think it might be a bit more than a crush now."

Sirius stopped and looked at him. 'You've really got it bad for her, haven't you?" he marvelled.

"I get a, you know, almost every time I'm around her,' Remus confided, a little embarrassed but feeling like he needed to talk about it.

"A hard on?' questioned Sirius, grinning and copping a swat across the arm for his trouble.

"Yes, alright. Jeez, Sirius, could you have said it any louder?" Remus complained, looking around to make sure no one else was nearby.

He sighed again. 'It's not just that though. I feel….I don't know…..strange around her. Like I can't breathe properly.'

"Why don't you tell her?' Sirius said, his voice suddenly serious. "Maybe she feels the same way?" But Remus shook his head.

'No way!' he said firmly. "She's always telling me what a good friend I am. I guess I'd rather be a good friend then nothing, and I'll just have to…"

"Jerk off a lot more?' suggested Sirius as they reached the portrait hole.

Remus laughed, and followed him up to their room, seeing Krystal was not in the common room.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks The Fleaks again for the reviews. It's good to know SOMEONE is enjoying this (HINT HINT). Two chapters just for you (Blows kisses)**

**Warning: SoloF in this chappie as Krystal realises what we already knew - Remus is HOT!**

Chapter Eight

James and Peter were sitting on the edge of Peter's bed when Sirius and Remus walked in.

"Finally!' James said, jumping up. Peter stood a little more slowly, grinning. Remus looked at their animated faces, getting a little excited himself.

"Have you done it?' he asked, looking at them.

"Not quite, but we're nearly there,' said James, pushing Remus back until he sat down on the bed.

"Ready?' he asked, and Remus nodded. He looked at Sirius and Peter, who nodded as well.

'You go first, James,' Sirius said.

Closing his eyes, he adopted a strained expression, concentrating hard. For a moment, nothing happened, and then…..

"Oh my god!' Remus exclaimed, stunned. "You've got antlers, James!"

And so he did - enormous horns had sprouted from James' head, and his face had changed, broadening and growing coarse hair. James grinned and changed back into himself.

Remus grinned broadly. "That's amazing! You're a stag?' he said, bouncing a bit on the bed.

James nodded, and Sirius stood up now, saying, "Wait till you see me!"

He got a similar look to James on his face, and soon he was shrinking, and black, shaggy hair sprouted from his skin. The bottom of his face elongated, forming a muzzle, before he quickly changed back.

"A dog?' Remus said, smiling when Sirius nodded.

Remus turned to Peter. "What about you, Pete?' he said, knowing Peter had been really struggling with the task. Peter stood up.

"I can only change a little,' he warned. He stood where James and Sirius had before him, and screwed up his face tight. After several seconds, whiskers appeared, and his head began to shrink. His face appeared rodent like, before his head blew back up to it's normal size.

Remus was surprised Peter had done so much work. "Are you a mouse?' he asked, unsure of whether Peter realised he would very likely eat a mouse when he was transformed.

"I think he's a rat,' said James, as Peter sat beside him. "Which will come in handy, because he'll be able to get under the Willow to press the knot to stop it killing us."

Remus looked at his friends, who were watching him, waiting for his reaction.

"Thank you,' he said, again feeling incredibly grateful. "I don't know what to say…"

They all grinned, Sirius saying, 'I hope we'll be ready for the next full moon. Krystal said you were pretty bad after this one, it should help having us there."

The conversation turned to what they could do during the full moon, Remus beginning to get excited about the possibility that he might not have to go through this alone for much longer.

"Can I tell Krys yet?' he said, wanting to share his excitement with her. James and Sirius glanced at each other, James grinning.

"Make her swear not to tell anyone,' Sirius warned, smiling slyly at Remus.

"She won't,' Remus promised. He looked at his friends again. "I can't believe you guys did this for me!"

An hour later, Remus flopped down next to Lily on the couch in the common room. "Hey!' she said brightly, looking up from her reading.

"Hi,' he replied, looking over at her. 'What are you reading?"

She held up the book so he could see the cover. It was the book he gave Krystal for her birthday.

'Krys lent it to me,' she explained, opening it back up. "She made me read the story about the dragons, and I got hooked."

Remus smiled, and looked around. "I was looking for her,' he said. 'Do you know where she is?"

Lily gave him an odd look, before she said, "Oh, I think she went to bed. She was pretty tired."

He nodded, disappointed but understanding she must be exhausted.

"She stayed with you all night, huh?' Lily said, flicking casually through the pages of the book. Remus had told Lily about his problem after she'd confronted him with her suspicions one day.

Remus looked over at her, a little alarmed. ' No one noticed she was missing, did they?' he asked, thinking of how quickly it would get around the school that they were both out of their beds last night.

"No. I knew she'd be gone for a while, of course, and when her bed wasn't slept in this morning, I guessed she'd managed to sneak around Madame Pomfrey."

Lily bit her lip and looked at him, as if she was trying to make up her mind about something.

"She doesn't sleep the night of the full moon, you know - not ever. And she gets pretty upset about your injuries, Remus. Normally she doesn't say anything, but I can tell she's thinking about it. This morning: she was a mess when she came back from the hospital wing, and I made her tell me what was wrong. She really cares about you,' she said.

She opened her mouth again, but shut it quickly, seeming to think better of what she was going to say.

"I didn't know she was still that worried about me,' he said, unhappy that Krystal was upset, but a small part of him was thrilled that she cared so much.

Lily gave him a small smile, and returned to her book, as Remus stared into the fire, his mind whirling.

Lily walked into the girls' bedroom a little while later, seeing Krystal practicing wand movements, her hands moving so fast they were a little blurred.

"Hey!' yelped Lily, as Krystal nearly poked the wand into her eye.

"Oh, sorry Lil,' Krystal said, a little breathlessly. She was sweaty and breathing hard. "Are you alright?' said Lily, seeing a funny look in Krystal's eye as she resumed her movements.

"Hmmm,' responded Krystal, jabbing at the air, then spinning around to bring her wand above her head. Lily caught her arm.

"Krys, what are you doing? You should be resting, you must be tired,' she said, keeping hold of her friends arm. She had never seen her friend so hyper.

Krystal shook her head. "I tried. I can't sleep."

She pulled her arm out of Lily's grasp and moved over to her bed, throwing herself down on it. Lily sat next to her, waiting.

"What's wrong with me, Lil?' Krystal said, turning her head to look at her friend. "I feel so strange around him now."

Lily smiled. "I assume we're talking about Remus?' she said, lying down next to her friend.

Krystal nodded, and put an arm over her eyes, which was, Lily knew, a sure sign that she was hiding her emotions.

"I feel like I've got butterflies in my stomach all the time, and when he touched me tonight, I actually got weak in the knees. God!' she said, frustrated. "It is just so horribly clichéd. I get all hot, and I kind of ache all over. And I mean all over, Lily. I couldn't sleep, I kept thinking about him touching me, so I tried to distract myself. I thought if I did something physical, it would stop it, but I think it made it worse."

Lily rolled over and removed Krystal's hand from her face. "Krys, I think I know what will help you - at least with the physical issue."

Krystal listened with some trepidation as Lily explained what she should do, and how best to do it.

'It might help you sleep - it did me,' she said, with a shrug.

It was late that night when Krystal was frustrated enough to try Lily's suggestion. She hadn't been able to get to sleep; every time she closed her eyes, she felt Remus' hands around her waist; his body pressed up against hers. She didn't know when she'd developed this crush or whatever it was on her friend, but it was really inconvenient. She shook her head. If she didn't do something, she'd be a zombie soon.

She moved her hands to under her pillow to get the little tube of oil Lily had given her. She put a little on her fingers, and moved them under the sheets, slipping them into her underwear. Leaving her hand resting on herself for a moment, she took a deep breath. Slowly, she moved her lubricated fingers, until she found the spot Lily had told her about. She knew she'd found it, because as her fingers brushed over it, she felt a shot of electricity, and the ache she'd been feeling all night increased. She ran her fingers over the little bump again, gasping as her hips lifted.

Her other hand crept under the sheets and she pulled her underwear off quickly, needing more to ease the pressure she was feeling. Instinct took over as her fingers searched and found heat, Krystal groaning a little as she slipped a finger into the warmth, adding another after a minute. She kept circling a finger around the now hardening bump that was bringing her so much pleasure, as her fingers slid in and out of her core.

Her breath was coming faster now and her hips were moving frantically, working against her fingers. She felt like she was nearly at the end of her tolerance, when, unbidden, an image of Remus using his fingers on her this way entered her mind. She gasped and felt something break in her. She shuddered hard and felt herself tighten around her fingers. Her body spasmed, her hips jerking uncontrollably as waves of pleasure washed over her.

She eventually came back to reality, breathing hard as if she'd been running. Her body relaxed now; the ache gone.

"Shit!' she muttered, wondering why she hadn't thought to do this before. No wonder Lily had so often woken her up at night moaning.

"Better?' she heard Lily whisper behind their drawn curtains, and she felt her face redden in the dark.

"Shut up, Lily,' she mumbled, rolling over to the sound of her friends' gentle laughter.

"So', said Lily the next morning with a grin.

"Alright, you were right. I fell straight asleep after,' admitted Krystal, reaching for a piece of toast. The girls were sitting at the very end of the dining table, heads close together so no one overheard them.

"So, now you know you're…turned on, by him, why don't you do something about it?' Lily suggested.

Krystal frowned, "I thought I did,' she said, buttering her toast.

"No. You did something about your frustration. If you told him…" she began, but Krystal dropped her toast and shook her head violently.

"No! No way, Lily. And you can't either,' she said frantically, her voice low. "He's my best friend Lil, apart from you, and I don't want to change that."

"Oh, Krys,' said Lily, in a gentle voice. "When you start imagining him when you….you know, things have already changed."

"What's changed?' came Remus' voice from behind them. Krystal and Lily both looked up sharply, Krystal's face reddening.

"Nothing,' they both said at once, turning back to their breakfasts. Remus looked a little surprised, but said nothing, sitting next to Lily and grabbing some cereal. Lily finished her meal, disappearing to get a forgotten book from their room, and Remus slid across to sit next to Krystal, their arms touching briefly.

"I was looking for you last night. I wanted to tell you about something,' he said, his skin prickling as it came into contact with hers.

Her face was still red, but she forced herself to treat him as she always had. "What did you want to tell me?' she asked.

He shook his head. "Not here. Come up to my room after dinner tonight, and we'll show you."

"_We_ will show me what?' she asked, warily.

He grinned. "You'll love it, I promise,' he said eagerly, his smile, as usual, winning her over.

"Alright, but it better be good,' she teased, relaxing a little.

"Holy shit!" James' favourite profanity came, not from his mouth, but Krystal's, as she watched the boys partial transformations into animals later that night.

She grinned, staring at them in amazement. "And you did this so you could go with Remus at the full moon?' she said, stunned by how much they cared about their friend. They nodded and she found herself unable to talk.

'Oh my god, said James, smiling at her. "She is actually speechless."

They all laughed, and Krystal jumped up, hugging and kissing each boy in turn.

"You are wonderful, wonderful boys,' she enthused. Peter went bright red when she hugged him, but James and Sirius hugged her back, Sirius trying to get her kiss to land on his lips.

She spun around to look at Remus, who had been standing next to the bed, watching her closely for her reaction.

"Aren't you excited?' she said, her face glowing as she bounced on her heels. He laughed at her enthusiasm.

"Yeah, I'm excited,' he said, wishing she had given him a hug and kiss as well.

"So, does this mean you won't get as hurt, if you've got company?,' she asked, moving closer to him, a hopeful look in her eyes.

"Maybe. I don't know; I've never done this before."

He was still concerned that he would hurt his friends unknowingly and, although he was ecstatic that he would have them with him, part of him wished they had never done this for him. He looked at Krystal and saw that she knew what was wrong.

"Did you just.." he stopped, remembering the others. He'd asked her in their Third Year, when his crush was starting to get serious, to not deliberately read his mind.

"No. I promised I wouldn't. I guess I just know you,' she said with a smile and a shrug.

The others looked at them, confused. "Can you two speak English?' James asked. Remus shook his head, wanting to change the subject.

"It's nothing. If all this is about me, how come I didn't get a hug?' he said, pretending to pout. Krystal grinned, and grabbed him around the waist, feeling her libido raising it's head hopefully. She tried to push it aside and enjoy the feeling of his arms around her shoulders.

She pulled away reluctantly after several seconds, and his arms dropped off her shoulders.

"When will you be completely ready?' she asked the smirking boys sitting on the bed, moving to sit on Remus' bed opposite them.

"Hopefully, next full moon, although we still have a ways to go,' frowned Sirius, with a quick glance at Peter.

Remus sat next to Krystal, who seemed to have calmed down. "I can't believe you did this,' she said, all of a sudden bursting into tears.

Remus looked surprised, having not seen her actually cry before, not even after the attack on her last year. 'Krys….,' he began.

"It's ok,' she said, covering her face. "I'm just…" She shook her head, unable to describe how she felt knowing that Remus might now be safer.

Remus looked over at the others, then put his hand on her knee. Suddenly he knew why she was crying, and he couldn't stop the hopeful feeling that rose in his chest.

She looked up, wiping her cheeks. "I take back every bad thing I've ever said about you lot,' she said, looking at the three confused boys across from her.

Remus laughed, as did Sirius and James, Peter still looking a little scared of her outburst.

"When did you say anything bad about us?' said Sirius standing up, and moving to stand in front of her, hands on hips, winking at Remus.

"I might have uttered a few curses occasionally, but I take it all back,' she said, starting to smile through the tears as she saw James come up behind Sirius.

'And you'll never say anything bad about us again?' James asked, smiling at her.

"Never - well, not for the rest of the week,' she said, feeling Remus' hand leave her knee as he turned around to face her.

"Not good enough, I'm afraid,' said Sirius, shaking his head sadly. He lunged at her, hugging her tight and blowing a raspberry on her face.

She laughed, and yelled, "Yuck, Sirius! Ok, the rest of the term!'

James grinned now. "Still not good enough,' he said, throwing himself on her and Sirius, earning giggles from her when he began to tickle her.

Remus laughed, as Krystal yelled, "The rest of the year! I…" her words were swallowed up by her laughter as Remus grabbed her ankles and tickled her feet.

She screamed as she laughed and jerked her legs up, knocking Remus off balance. He landed on James, and knocked the four of them over onto the bed, sending them sprawling across the covers.

Peter shook his head as laughing calls of 'Ouch!' and 'Get off me, James' came out of the huddle, then the sound of a gasp followed by a hand slapping skin and Sirius' voice saying, 'Oops! Sorry Krys. Didn't realise that was there.'

Krystal pushed him off her and sat up, glaring at him. 'That's where they've always been Sirius,' she said, shaking her head at him as he grinned.

Remus also glared at Sirius as he stood up, grabbing her hand and pulling Krystal to her feet.

'I should go,' she said, stepping over James who had slid off the bed when Remus stood up. 'I've got to do my Potions homework yet.' She waved at the boys who were all grinning broadly.

Remus still held her hand as they walked towards the door, neither of them noticing the other boys watching them closely and smirking.

'Do you want a hand?' he asked, not wanting her to go yet. She grinned and gave a little laugh.

'You're just as hopeless at Potions as I am, Remus,' she said. 'I'll try and convince Lily to take pity on me. Thanks though.'

They walked out onto the stairs outside the boy's bedroom when Krystal suddenly turned and hugged him hard.

'Are you alright?' he asked, putting his arms around her.

'God. I'm so embarrassed,' she said, shaking her head against his shoulder. 'I must have looked like such an idiot…'

'No you didn't,' he said, running his hands up and down her back soothingly. 'Lily told me you still worry about me at the full moon.'

'Lily's got a bloody big mouth,' she muttered, but he heard her and smiled.

'She was worried about you, Krys,' he replied. 'I am grateful you're concerned about me, but I wish you wouldn't worry so much. You're going to make yourself sick.'

'I'm fine,' she said, breaking their embrace. 'I'm glad that you might not get so hurt once they start going with you.'

She looked up at him and smiled. 'You might actually have fun running around with them.'

Remus laughed and shook his head. 'I don't know about that, but it'll be nice not being alone. I wish you could come.'

The last words slipped out and he flushed. Krystal smiled. 'I'm thinking they wanted this to be a boy thing,' she said. 'But it would be fun.'

Her smile faded. 'I'd have to watch you transform though wouldn't I?' He nodded and she frowned.

'I don't know if I could do that,' she said softly, a pained look on her face. 'I don't know if I could stand seeing you in that much pain.'

Remus swallowed hard, fighting the urge to lean over and kiss her, reaching out for her hand instead, squeezing it hard.

'I should go now,' she said, a little breathless from the look on his face. 'Homework.'

He nodded and she turned, letting his hand slip away from hers. She walked down two steps then turned back, moving swiftly back to him and hugging him again. Remus was taken aback but put his arms around her, lowering his head to rest against hers.

'Are you sure you're alright, Krys?' he whispered near her ear.

She nodded and pulled away. 'See you tomorrow,' she said, rising on tip toe to kiss him. He turned his head as she did and her lips landed on his mouth instead of his cheek. She pulled away as if electrocuted. Remus looked a little stunned.

Krystal's mouth opened then closed as she decided to pretend it was no big deal. 'Night,' she said, running down the stairs, hearing him call 'Night!' after her.

Remus touched his lips, still tingling from where her mouth had touched his.

'God,' he said, realising he was as hard as a rock from the tiny kiss. He breathed deeply for a moment or two, then turned back into the room, seeing the others jumping back onto their beds, trying to look as though they hadn't been eavesdropping. Glaring at them, he went to the bathroom to shower, quickly relieving his lingering problem under the water. The other's were in bed when he got back and he quickly got under his covers.

There was a few moments of silence, then Sirius said, 'You want her soooo bad!', making James and Peter snigger and even Remus couldn't help smiling in agreement.

It took until just before the Easter holiday's for the boys to finally be able to join Remus during his transformations. The day after, Krystal was relieved to see everyone in one piece, Sirius telling her all about what they got up to the night before. Remus was less bruised and battered, and much more cheerful when she visited him in the infirmary before leaving for the break.

Her parents were invited to a party on the last night of the holidays, and made Krystal join them. They pulled up the drive of a huge house, Krystal a little in awe as they walked through the entrance hall. She was standing with her parents when she felt a tap on her shoulder, turning to see Sirius behind her. They said hello and hugged, Krystal introducing him to her parents. Sirius pulled her aside, his face losing the smile he gave her parents.

"Krys, you need to go,' he said, looking at her seriously.

'Why?' she asked, curious. He frowned, about to answer when he was distracted by something over her shoulder. She turned to see what he was looking at, and felt as though someone had thrown cold water at her.

Lucius Malfoy was walking towards them, Dolohov and another boy with him. Krystal felt her mouth go dry, and she started to shake, haing that they made her feel like this. She felt a hand on her arm, pulling her towards a door. She felt cold as Sirius shut the door behind them, blocking them from view.

"Are you ok?' he asked, bending a little so his face was directly opposite hers. She nodded, swallowing hard. He looked worried, so she tried to smile.

'I'm alright. It was just a surprise,' she said, pushing down her fear. Still frowning, he straightened, still holding her shoulders.

"Krys, you should get out of here. You don't need this crap,' he said angrily. She looked up at him, touched by his concern.

"It's fine, Sirus, really. Mum and Dad are having fun. Maybe I can hide out in here the whole time."

He laughed. "I will if you will,' he said, grinning. She heard the dare in his voice and decided to take him up on it. She sat on the couch in what looked like the sitting room, and he flopped down next to her.

They spent the next hour and a half talking, telling each other more about themselves, getting to know each other better than they were able to at school. Sirius told her how unhappy he was at home, and she took his hand as he said he didn't know how much longer he could stand staying there. Krystal told him about the nightmares she still had about the attack and he put his arm protectively around her, again urging her to go tell her parents and go home. She shook her head, turning to look at him.

"You're a really great guy, you know,' she said.

He turned as well, smiling as he said, "Don't let it get around, ok."

She laughed, and he frowned, watching her. Her smile faded as he continued to stare at her.

"Sirius….,' she began, her words cut off as he leant forward and kissed her.

She was surprised and, for a moment, was frozen. His lips were soft and for a few seconds, she allowed him to kiss her, before suddenly, he pulled away, removing his arm and standing up quickly.

"God, Krys,' he said, running his hands over his face. "I'm sorry, I am so sorry."

She was still a little shocked, but she stood as well. "Um, it's ok, Sirius,' she said, coming around as she saw how upset he was.

"No, it's not. You…you aren't one of those girls - the ones I go out with, and I shouldn't have treated you like one. Shit, I am a lousy friend."

"Sirius, really, it's alright. No harm done,' she insisted, deciding that it was best to forget this happened.

He looked at her, his face pale. "I don't know what came over me, Krys. I just think you're so pretty and you were so close and you smell really good…."

She smiled now, and hugged him, feeling him hesitate before putting his arms around her.

"Its fine, Siri. I think you're gorgeous. But,' she shrugged. 'there's just nothing there."

He looked down at her. "Are you sure?' he said, frowning. "I thought I felt something."

She recognised that he was teasing her, but decided to resolve the issue once and for all.

She took his face in her hands and kissed him on the lips, letting it linger for several seconds, before pulling away.

"Anything?' he asked, looking down at her.

"Nothing,' she answered quickly. She moved away and lowered her head a little so he wouldn't see her face. There had been a spark, but nothing like the fire that burned through her when she was around Remus.

He sighed. 'No, me neither,' he said, looking somewhat guilty. "Luckily! Remus would have killed me…"

He quickly shut up, but not before she'd heard his words.

"Why would Remus kill you?' she asked, staring at him.

"Ah, well, you know how….um, protective Remus is,' Sirius invented madly. "Um, he knows how I treat girls, he'd mess me up if I did that to you.'

Krystal looked at him suspiciously, unsure of whether to believe him or not.

'Come on,' he said, desperate to change the subject. "We should find your parents"

He dragged her out into the hall, where they found her parents. Ten minutes later they were saying goodbye, Krystal whispering that they probably should forget all about the small indiscretions of the night.

The spark she'd felt when they kissed had confused her for a moment, but she recognised it as a physical reaction, not an emotional one like she felt when she was with Remus. She really did like Sirius. They had become quite good friends, and she was hoping that it could remain that way.

Sirius was relieved, saying 'thank you', and gratefully accepting her offer. He felt enormously guilty for hitting on the girl he knew one of his best friends wanted, and hoped Remus would never find out about it. But he felt a little sadness as well. He'd felt something when they kissed; something he had yet to feel with any of his numerous conquests. Shaking his head, he told himself to forget it.

'Plenty of fish in the sea,' he thought. 'Fish that Remus isn't interested in.' He turned and went back to the party.

Her parent's were waiting in the car, and, as she ran down to them, a hand grabbed her arm, stopping her. She turned and came face to face with Lucius Malfoy.

"You were at Hogwarts weren't you?' he asked, still holding her firmly.

She nodded, trying to get her arm out of his grasp, feeling a wave of pure terror wash over her.

"Thought I recognised you,' he said, his hand tightening a little as his eyes flicked down to her chest.

He let go of her arm. 'Here,' he said, handing her a purse. "Your mother forgot this."

She snatched the purse off him, and ran to the car, shaking as she handed it to her mother. Going to bed that night, she tossed and turned. Every time her she drifted off, she saw Lucius' eyes harden in anger before he hit her; felt their hands on her breasts, her butt. She crawled out of bed before sunrise, slouching on the couch in front of the television for the rest of the day.

She took a Floo back to Hogwarts the next day, arriving just before dinner. She was so tired, but didn't want to sleep, fearing that when she closed her eyes, she'd see Lucius Malfoy. Krystal hadn't told anyone how bad the dreams were. She'd told Remus that she saw them hurting her. She didn't tell him that she saw them beating her, then raping her before they slit her throat. Shakily, she walked down the Entrance Hall, rubbing her eyes.

She entered the Dining Hall, and sat down next to Sirius at the table. He looked over at her, giving her a smile, before getting a good look at her exhausted face.

"Jeez, you look awful, Krys,' he said, surprised. "Really tired."

She smiled grimly back. "Thanks Sirius, way to boost a girls self esteem,' she said, with no real venom.

"I'm not real hungry,' she realised, feeling slightly nauseous as she looked at the food. "I'm going up to bed. I'll see you later."

She heard him call out to her as she walked out of the dining hall, but didn't turn back. She just couldn't be with other people. She felt like curling up in bed and never coming out. She dragged herself up the stairs to the common room, and waved distractedly a the friends who called out greetings. Throwing herself on her bed, she stared up at the curtains, thinking she would just lay here for a minute then get a shower. Her eyes closed, and she fell straight asleep.

Krystal let out a small moan of terror when she awoke in the dark hours later, sweaty and breathless. She'd woken in the middle of the nightmare, frightened. Getting out of bed, she tip toed to the bathroom, making sure she didn't wake the other girls. She stripped her almost soaked clothes off, and got in the shower, not bothering to turn the hot water on. Scrubbing at her body, she tried desperately to remove the lingering feeling of their hands on her.

She was shivering when she dressed, putting on a t-shirt and pyjama pants and creeping downstairs to a hopefully empty common room. It was deserted, much to her relief. It was just after midnight now, and she curled up in the corner of the couch, shaking and staring at the fire, wondering how on earth she was going to ever go to sleep again.

She was surprised half an hour later, when she heard footsteps on the stairs.

"Hey!' said a startled male voice. 'I was looking for you earlier. What are you doing up this late?' Remus came over to the couch and smiled at her.

"Can't sleep,' she said quietly, as he moved to sit next to her. 'What are you doing up?'

'Couldn't sleep either,' he said lightly, not mentioning that he'd not been able to sleep as he had been worried about her.

He'd decided to come down to the common room, not wanting to wake his friends with his unrest. He looked closely at her now.

"Sirius was right, you do look awful,' he said, concern in his voice. "He told me that you saw Malfoy last night. Did you have a nightmare?"

She nodded, so tired she didn't know if she could form a coherent sentence.

"What can I do to help?' he asked, worried by her pale face and hollow looking eyes.

She shrugged. "Nothing, I guess,' she mumbled, laying her head on the arm of the couch and looking at him.

He looked at her for a minute, then stood up. He ran up the stairs, and she sighed, looking back into the fire, willing herself to stay awake.

She was looking at the ceiling trying to count the cracks when she heard him returning. He was carrying a silvery thing in his hand, and as he sat next to her, she could see it was some sort of material. He looked at her, his expression determined.

"You are always there for me when I need you, Krys. I'll be damned if I won't return the favour. Put this on,' he said, handing her the fabric.

She took it automatically and felt cool smooth material under her fingers.

"Is this an Invisibility Cloak?' she asked, watching as her hand vanished under it.

He nodded. "It's James'. I pinched it from his trunk just now."

Krystal looked up at him, surprised. "Why do I need to wear it?' she asked, putting it around her shoulders and looking down as her torso disappeared.

"Because I don't want anyone to see you going into my room,' he said. "It'll just start them gossiping."

She stared at him, questions in her eyes.

'Krys, I sleep much better after the full moon when you're with me,' he said, flushing a little as he admitted it. "I thought maybe, since you're tired and hurt, that it might work for you too. If you want, I mean, if you don't think it will help…."

She cut him off, drawing the coat around her. "No,' she said, standing up and smiling at him. "It's worth a try."

She always felt safer around him, even when she was asleep. Maybe it would work.

He smiled, and fixed the Cloak so her feet were hidden. 'Come on,' he said, leading the way.

They crept into his room, trying not to make a sound and wake the others. Remus drew the curtains around his bed, and got in, looking up at her as she took off the Cloak.

He shrugged, whispering, "We've done this before, you know," when he saw her hesitation.

'Yeah, but one of us has always been unconscious,' she said, with a soft laugh as she sat on the bed.

'And Madame Pomfrey has been a great chaperone,' she thought.

This was different: they were in the privacy of his bed now, not a busy hospital wing.

"Pretend I'm unconscious then,' he replied, pulling her down next to him. "I will be soon enough. Come on Krys, you need to sleep, I need to sleep. Don't you trust me?"

She sighed, and swung her legs into the bed, pulling the covers over them.

'Of course I do,' she said, looking at him.

He smiled. "So, um, how do you want to do this?' he asked, realising only now how small his bed was with two of them in it. They were going to have to get pretty close and he suddenly wondered how he was going to hide his usual morning erection. He felt a flutter of concern, then decided he was too tired to care right now.

She lay on her side facing away from him, reaching back and pulling him towards her until his arm was laying over her waist. He wasn't pressed up against her, but he was very close and could feel the warmth of her skin. He closed his eyes, as he heard her whisper, 'Thank you' into the dark. Her breathing became even almost immediately, and he felt the tension leave her body. It was only then, he allowed himself to fall asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**They're getting so close. Stick with it - lots of UST in the next couple of chapters then lots of yummy sex (but who'll be having it?). Tell me if these chapters are too long. I'd rather read a lot than too little but I can break them into two if that's easier (although this fic is already 50 odd chapters long).**

**I love feedback! Makes me all warm and fuzzy.**

Chapter Nine

Remus opened his eyes slowly, feeling as if he needed another couple of hours sleep. He groaned softly, closing his eyes again as he rolled over, and bumped into something soft and warm. Opening his eyes again quickly, he looked right into Krystal's sleeping face, startled until he remembered why she was in his bed. He felt a little awkward: his suggestion that she sleep with him had been the result of little sleep and much concern. 'And,' he realised now, 'not necessarily a good idea.'

This epiphany came as he felt himself getting hard as he looked at her.

Ignoring his physical discomfort, he folded his pillow under his head so he could see her face better. He had never had the chance to watch her like this; uninterrupted, and in private. As he lay there, he stared; taking the opportunity to look at her as much as he wanted for a change.

'She's so beautiful,' he thought, not for the first time, as she stirred a little, frowning in her sleep, before her face relaxed again. She was laying on her stomach, her head resting on her hand, and turned towards him. He could smell her hair, and the scent of the soap she used, and he felt himself twitch.

A lock of hair had fallen over her cheek when she moved, and he couldn't help himself. Reaching out, he gently moved it off her face, pushing it behind her ear, his thumb stroking her cheek softly. She moved again, and he hastily removed his hand. She sighed and her tongue slipped out of her mouth to wet her lips, before she again was still.

He watched her mouth for a moment. Would she wake up if he kissed her - quickly, lightly? For a few seconds, he was very tempted just to lean over and press his lips to hers, only restraining himself with the thought of how she might react if she did wake. She'd never trust him again.

'And,' he thought. 'If I _am_ ever lucky enough to kiss her, I would like her to be awake.'

By now he was so hard he was hurting and his breathing was fast and irregular. He got out of bed, trying not to disturb her. He pulled the curtains tight, and made his way to the bathroom, turning the shower on and stripping quickly.

For a moment he let the water wash over him, closing his eyes against the sudden tightness in his chest. He felt surprisingly emotional, and close to tears. Breathing deeply until the feeling had gone, he grasped himself and stroked firmly, bringing himself to the edge quickly, and, with a soft moan, he came, Krystal's face in his mind.

His breath came in bursts, and his heart was racing. Leaning against the shower wall, he stood for a while, letting the water wash away the mess he'd made. He still felt a bit shaky, and was confused about what was going on in his head. It was a very intimate experience, waking up alongside the girl he fantasised about.

'I guess that's what's wrong with me.' he decided. 'That and the need for a few more hours sleep.'

He reached for his soap, and quickly washed, drying off and dressing.

When he slowly opened the curtains around his bed, he was surprised to see Krystal look up at him from the pillow, still laying on her stomach. He smiled at her, closing the curtains behind him. She looked a little disorientated, so he guessed she'd only just woken up.

"Hi,' he whispered, sitting back on his bed.

"Hi,' she echoed, staring up at him, as if she'd never seen him before.

"You alright?' he said, lying down next to her on his side, so he could talk to her without waking the others. She nodded, her eyes wide, watching him in a way that made his chest begin to ache again.

"I didn't have any nightmares,' she said, her voice a little husky from sleep.

He smiled, saying, 'That's good. Do you feel better?"

She frowned, "Kind of,' she said. "Not as tired anyway."

She didn't tell him that she was feeling really strange, having woken up in his bed. It felt too intimate: as if a line had been crossed, and they couldn't go back.

She had a lump in her throat and swallowed hard to try and move it.

"Krys…?' he said, and she could see the worry in his face.

She shook her head, trying to tell him to leave it. He reached out and put his hand on her arm, as she realised just how close he was to her, feeling heat spread through her body. Her face flushed as she also realised she was staring at his mouth.

Quickly she looked away, but he grasped her chin in his hand, and turned her face to his.

"Krys…,' he said again, his voice low and deeper than usual, his breath coming faster as his eyes slipped to her lips.

A rattling noise made them jump and they both looked up to see Sirius' grin fade and his eyes widen as he saw them. Remus' sat up and shook his head urgently, putting his finger to his lips, trying to warn Sirius not to say anything. Sirius nodded, and said loudly, "Oops! Sorry Remus, I'll just leave you to finish up."

Remus stared at him, horrified and Sirius grinned, winking at Krystal as he closed the curtains. He heard Sirius tell James that Remus was 'learning more about his body' and his face turned bright red. He heard a muffled laugh from Krystal and turned to see she had buried her face in his pillow, her shoulders shaking with laughter. Remus cursed under his breath, calling Sirius names that made Krystal shake even harder as she tried to muffle her giggles.

The strange moment between them was put to the back of their minds, but not forgotten, as Krystal, under the Invisibility Cloak, went back to her room. She pulled off the Cloak, startling Lily as she came out of the bathroom.

"Where have you been?' her friend asked.

Krystal sighed and told her everything, including the intense moment they'd shared before Sirius interrupted them. Lily seemed to find this exciting, rather than confusing as Krystal had, and clapped her hands together.

"I bet he was going to kiss you,' she squealed.

Krystal felt a shiver down her back, but shook her head. "I don't know, Lily,' she said, frowning.

"Did you want him to kiss you?' Lily asked, her green eyes looking at Krystal shrewdly. Krystal looked at her friend. "I think I did,' she admitted, with a small smile, which faded quickly as a thought hit her.

"You don't think he knew I wanted him to kiss me, do you?' she said, flustered.

Lily shrugged, and said, "Maybe that's not a bad thing, Krys. Maybe you two should sit down and talk about this."

Seeing Krystal's head shake negatively, she decided to lay it on the line. "Krystal. You really like him, you want to be more than friends. If he really was going to kiss you today, then he must feel the same way. Tell him,' she said firmly, standing up and giving her friend a hug. "What have you got to lose?"

Krystal looked up. "Our friendship, Lils. I couldn't stand losing him, don't you understand? I can't tell him.' She blinked, standing as well. "I'd rather keep what we've got, than lose it all."

Sirius didn't get a chance to talk to Remus until break, pulling him aside after DADA. "Well?' he asked.

Remus looked around, checking if anyone, in particular Krystal, was nearby. He saw her dark brown ponytail bobbing up and down next to Lily's red one down the corridor and turned back to Sirius.

"She was trying to stay awake in the common room last night,' he said hastily. "She was scared. I thought if she wasn't alone, she might not have the nightmares. Nothing happened."

Sirius looked at him thoughtfully. "Why didn't you tell her to get into bed with Lily?' he asked, mildly.

Remus frowned. "I don't know,' he said slowly. "I guess I wanted to be the one to help her."

Sirius smiled, saying, "And it had nothing to do with you wanting to be close to her? Come on, Remus. Why don't you just tell her how you feel?"

"Because what if she doesn't feel the same?' Remus said, his voice raising a little.

"I really care about her, Sirius. And I'm attracted to her; ridiculously attracted to her, but if she doesn't feel like I do, our friendship will be over. I'll lose her."

Sirius looked taken aback by his outburst: Remus wasn't prone to shows of temper. "Remus, what if she does, though? What if she does feel the same?' he asked quietly.

Remus shook his head. "Until I see any hint that she might feel like I do, I won't take that chance, Sirius."

Fortunately, the Fifth Years had little time to worry about anything but study as the OWL exams loomed before them. Krystal spent some time with Severus studying for potions, apologising for neglecting him a little over the last few weeks. He shrugged, telling her he understood.

She watched him as he ran through lists of ingredients, asking her to tell him which potion they were for. Lily had told her she was concerned that Sev was hanging out with some real jerks, who were really into the Dark Arts. She had noticed changes in her friend: he was quieter, and withdrawn.

"What potion would you be making with those ingredients?' he asked, looking up at her. She started a little; she'd not been listening.

"Um, a…, um, Strengthening Potion?' she guessed wildly.

He looked at her with a frown. 'Well, that's right, but you weren't even listening, were you?' he asked accusingly.

"Sev,' she said. 'Why do you hang out with those losers?" Severus looked startled, then annoyed.

"They are my friends. I don't ask you why you choose to hang around with arrogant prat's like Black and Potter, and their little gang."

"Sev,' she said. 'I don't want to fight with you. But you are a good person. Why don't you let everyone see that part of you?'

He didn't answer her, and she tried again. 'They're horrible, evil little cockroaches, Sev. They're all into the Dark Arts. You know they'll end up in Azkaban. You deserve better than that."

Severus looked at her, his black eyes boring into hers. "I don't want to talk about this, Krystal. Please, just leave it alone."

Her jaw clenched, but she nodded, watching him as he looked back down at the textbook.

Everyone was nervous on the first day of exams, Lily and Krystal not eating, instead testing each other for their Charms exam which was straight after breakfast. Remus too was testing Peter, who was still pretty clueless.

James and Sirius, as usual, were ridiculously confident, annoying everyone else by mucking around and talking loudly.

Krystal finally turned to them and said, irritably, "If you two don't shut up, I'm going to take these sausages and shove them right up…"

But what she would do was lost, as Professor McGonagall stood and asked the Fifth and Seventh years to stay in the Hall for their first exams.

Two hours later, Lily and Krystal were walking together out of the room, wanting some fresh air before their practical Charms exam. They sat under a tree, leaning back against the trunk, immediately opening their textbooks for some last minute practice. Remus watched Krystal from the stairs where he and the other Gryffindor boys were sitting.

He hadn't had a chance to speak much to her in the weeks since that morning in his bedroom. They'd spent time together studying and chatting casually over meals, but they had not been alone once; both frustrating him and making him feel a sense of relief that he didn't yet have to deal with how he was feeling. He saw Krystal pointing her wand at a rock, levitating it into the air, and her eyes met his. He smiled, but looked away quickly.

Krystal was practising levitation charms, when she saw Remus watching her. He smiled and looked away. Krystal's mind went blank and the stone fell to the ground.

'Great!" she exclaimed, angrily, causing Lily to look at her sharply. "It's fine," she said, in answer to Lily's unspoken question. "Lets just go back in."

Despite her distraction, she thought she did well in her Charms exam. She was much more confident about her Muggle Studies exam was that afternoon, as her parents had combined the best of both worlds in their home - Muggle and wizarding. She was starving now that her nerves had eased, and she and Lily went to get lunch. The Marauders were already sitting at the table eating. Krystal and Lily slipped into the seats next to Alice, who was sitting next to Remus.

"How did you go?' she asked, looking up from her food. Lily rehashed all her answers, causing Peter to look up at one point and say, "Oh, no!"

Krystal chuckled a bit at the look on his face, hearing Remus doing the same. She looked at him, and he smiled.

"Did you go alright?' he asked, over Lily and Alice's heads.

Krystal nodded, asking, "You?" He nodded as well, then turned to answer Sirius, who had just asked him a question about Muggle transport.

Several hours later, the Fifth years were sprawled around their common room, all with text books open in preparation for Potions the next day. Lily, undisputed Potions know it all, had been testing Krystal, Mary, Remus and Peter most of the evening. James and Sirius flicked through their books for about an hour, occasionally asking each other questions but mostly just lying around. Peter yawned, setting the others off, making them all laugh. They said good night, going to their rooms to get ready for bed.

It was late when a terrified scream woke the Gryffindor students. The boys fell out of bed quickly, grabbing their wands and running downstairs, where they saw some of the older students already there.

'What's going on?' said James in a panicked voice.

They shook their heads, one of them saying, 'We can't get up the stairs to the girls' dormitories, they're enchanted." But as he spoke, the Head Girl came down the steps.

"It's alright, one of the girls had a nightmare. Pressure of exams,' she said, but Remus felt concern flood him.

"Krys…,' he said softly as the older boys moved back upstairs, as the Head Girl, Kelly, came into the room, her eyes coming to rest on Remus, who she recognised as a prefect.

"You're Remus, aren't you?' she asked, looking at the remaining boys.

"Yeah,' he said, a little startled.

"Come with me, please. The rest of you can go back to bed,' she said, turning and pointing her wand at the stairs. James and Peter headed back up the stairs to their dorm, but Sirius lingered for a moment, his brow creasing in concern when he caught Remus' eye.

When Remus stepped on the stairs to the girls' dorm, they didn't collapse as they usually did. He followed the seventh year girl to a room near the top of the tower.

"This is my study,' she said. She opened the door and he saw Lily crouching on the edge of a sofa. She turned when she heard the door creak open, and Remus saw a shaking and sweaty Krystal curled into the corner, her head on the armrest, eyes strangely blank.

He pushed past the Head Girl, crouching down in front of her.

"Krys?' he said, feeling panic rising in him. She didn't respond, and he turned to Lily. 'What happened?'

Lily shook her head, her green eyes glistening with tears. "She was tossing and turning and begging someone to stop. Then she went stiff, and screamed. We were trying to wake her up for ages, but she wouldn't. She won't talk, I don't think she knows we are here."

Kelly stepped forward. "I think I should get Professor McGonagall…" but Remus shook his head.

"No. I know what's wrong. Just let me stay with her for a while. Please?' he added, seeing their hesitation.

Kelly nodded, saying, 'Alright, but I'll be back soon." She put an arm around Lily and led her from the room.

Remus turned back to Krystal. "Krys, it's me. It's alright, sweetie; he can't hurt you here. You're safe." He stroked her hair, talking in soothing tones to her until he saw her blink and her eyes began to refocus. She looked at him, and her face collapsed.

Remus quickly moved so that when she began to cry, he was holding her, cradling her in his lap. She sobbed into his chest, all the fear and anger she'd been holding onto that had never been completely acknowledged came to the surface and bubbled over.

They remained like that for some time, long after Krystal had cried herself out. Remus was still stroking her hair, her head on his shoulder, legs across his lap. Kelly had been and gone, deciding it was best to leave them as whatever Remus had done was working. Finally, Krystal tilted her head so she could look up at Remus' face.

'Sorry,' she whispered.

He frowned and looked down at her. "Don't be silly,' he scolded her, putting both arms around her now.

"You should go to bed, I'll be alright now. We've got exams tomorrow,' she argued, her voice still cracking.

"Not a chance,' he whispered, and he kissed the top of her head. "Go to sleep, Krys. I'm not going anywhere." She moved her head and looked at his determined face.

She smiled a small smile. 'Lie down, then,' she said, pushing at his side. He moved until he was lying on his side on the couch. She lay down next to him, facing him. She put her arms around him and nestled her head into his chest. He smiled into her hair, putting his arms around her and pulling her close, holding her until he felt sleep take her; only closing his own eyes when he was sure she was asleep.

Kelly woke them the next morning, the older girl blushing a little when she saw them entwined. Krystal and Remus had no embarrassment though, feeling closer than ever after the night. There was none of the awkwardness or discomfiture of the previous occasion they had woken up together. Instead, there was a new feeling to their friendship, it felt deeper, more mature. And a flirtatiousness and energy surfaced; one that had always been simmering but never really acknowledged or allowed to grow.

Four days later, the DADA theory exam was their next to last, and after they came out of the hall, Krystal and Lily joined some of their friends by the Great Lake to get some sunshine and fresh air, before their practical later that day. Lily sat next to Krystal, watching her friend turn her face up to the sun, silently envying her ability to tan, not burn as she did. They heard a commotion from up near the castle, and turned their heads to see James and Sirius in the middle of the action, as usual.

"What are they up to?' Lily said, annoyed. She still hadn't warmed to James, although she was civil to Sirius. She got up, feeling that, as a prefect, she should intervene.

Krystal said lazily, "Go get 'em, Lil,' before yelping as Lily pulled her to her feet.

"They're your friends, you can help,' she said, stalking off up to the castle ahead of her.

Krystal's mouth fell open when she reached the circle of students. James had Severus on the ground in the grip of a curse. She heard Lily yelling at them, and pushed her way through the crowd to her. She was shocked. James and Sirius had never been so blatant or so public in their dislike for the boy. Peter as usual, was egging them on, but Remus was sitting under a tree, frowning.

Lily yelled at them again, but this time it was Sev, now hanging in the air, that answered back, yelling that he didn't want Lily's help, calling her a Mudblood. Shock ran through Krystal, as she looked at Lily, who also looked stunned. She and James shouted at each other, before she strode off angrily.

Krystal looked over at Remus, who was staring at her. Angry that he hadn't tried to stop the others, she strode forward, grabbing James arm as he tried to pull down Severus underwear.

"That's enough,' she hissed at him. He shook her off, but, anger rising now, she forgot her wand, flicking her hand surreptitiously at him and disarming him, Severus falling to the ground.

"Enough, James,' she said angrily, her eyes glowing a silver colour now. The crowd started to disperse, and James looked at her, his angry expression fading as he saw her face. She glared at him then shot Sirius and Peter a dirty look before following Severus into the castle.

Lily and Krystal sat with the other Gryffindor girls on the train back home two days later, Lily refusing all Sev's attempts to apologise to her. He'd tried to explain to Krystal that he didn't mean to insult Lily like that, but Krystal advised him to give her time - it was a lot to forgive. Privately though, she thought that Sev had just bought about the end of their friendship.

Lily was also furious with The Marauders, as was Krystal. She had steered clear of them over the last couple of days of school; even Remus, who had tried, like Severus, to apologise for not stepping in to stop the others. She and Lily spent time together, Krystal comforting Lily as she cried over the loss of her friendship with Severus; joining her in ranting about James and Sirius.

They spent all their time together over the first couple of weeks of the holidays. It was particularly hot, so they spent their days lazing around eating ice blocks, or at the local pool, where Lily met a boy she liked. Krystal felt like a third wheel, inviting Sev over a few times rather than join Lily and her new boyfriend. Remus wrote often, apologising each time, and she found she couldn't stay mad at him, eventually writing back a week before the end of the holidays, accepting his apology, but telling him that if it happened again, she wouldn't be so forgiving. Severus was her friend, and she didn't want to see him hurt or embarrassed like that again.

Three days until the end of break, it was a particularly hot day. Lily had arranged to go to the pool with Krystal, finally giving in to Krystal's complaints that she never saw her anymore. Krystal had tossed and turned in bed for half an hour, before deciding against sleeping in, figuring the sooner she got to the pool, the sooner she'd be cool.

She stripped and was changing when she heard a soft knock on the door.

"Hang on, she said, reaching around to clip up her bikini top. 'Alright, I'm decent.'

She looked into the mirror to the doorway behind her, and saw Remus standing there, looking a little like someone had smacked him in the face.

Her eyes widened and she spun around. "What are you doing here?' she asked, a smile breaking across her face at the sight of him.

He blinked several times, and looked down at the carpet, saying in a rush, 'I'm here to stay for a few days. My dad's going away for work, and my mum has to go look after my gran; she broke her leg yesterday, and she's a Muggle, so it takes ages for her to get better. So my mum rang your mum to see if she could keep an eye out for me, and your mum invited me to stay. So here I am."

She laughed at his rambling explanation and moved closer, surprised when he stepped back.

"What's wrong with you?' she asked, confused by his refusal to look at her.

"You're not dressed,' he muttered, his teeth gritted tight.

She looked down, remembering she only wore her swimmers; a bright blue bikini that she had to hide from her father. She went a little pink herself, buoyed a little by his reaction to her and reached over to grab the tank top she'd slept in, slipping it quickly over her head.

"Better?' she asked, with a grin as she saw him look up at her.

"No,' he said, with a loud exhale. "But I might be able to get a sentence out now."

She smiled a little shyly at his words as he stepped forward and gave her a quick hug, feeling his temperature rise for reasons that had nothing to do with the hot day.

"Mum didn't tell me you were coming,' she said, letting him go.

"It was late when my mum rang last night. We don't know a lot of adults who are like us, and my parents were starting to freak out when they thought of your parents."

He sat on her bed, watching as she moved to her dresser and rummaged around.

"They were ready to let me stay home and just ask your mum to check up on me occasionally, but your mum said I should come and stay here.'

He was trying unsuccessfully not to watch her barely covered ass as she bent over to pull out the bottom drawer. His lip curled into a smile, even as he bit back a groan. Was she deliberately doing this to him? His heart leapt at the thought.

'Is that alright?' he asked. 'That I stay? I know you were mad at me…'

"Yeah!' she said, standing up and spinning around, holding some clothes in her hands, not seeing Remus quickly raise his eyes to her face. "Of course it's alright. You've never stayed over before. It'll be fun."

She pulled the shorts on over her bikini bottoms as she spoke, Remus getting a glimpse of her stomach as she fumbled with the zipper.He closed his eyes, wondering how he was going to get through three days of this without jumping her. When he'd regained a little control, he opened his eyes again, and immediately wished he hadn't. He caught her swapping her shirt, revealing the incredibly small bikini top she was wearing; but more interestingly, the expanse of lightly tanned breast above the top.

'She's always been comfortable with me, but this is ridiculous,' Remus thought. Either she didn't realise he was a member of the opposite sex (and a teenaged one at that), or she was trying to give him a heart attack. He felt heat rushing to his groin and decided to excuse himself before she noticed his condition.

"I should go and sort out my bags. I'll see you in a minute. When you're not trying to drive me crazy,' he said, muttering his last sentence under his breath, so distracted by his own frustration that he didn't notice Krystal's eyes slide down to his ass as he left the room.

Krystal was eating breakfast when Remus finally came down. "Breakfast, Remus?' Mrs O'Connor said, turning to him with a smile.

"Thanks, Mrs O'Connor,' he said a little shyly, as she put scrambled eggs on a plate for him.

"Spending the day studying, Krys?' her father asked, looking at his daughter with a grin on his face as he took a drink of juice.

"Of course, daddy,' she answered in a dutiful voice, her eyes wide and innocent. He laughed, then went back to his paper.

"Did you bring swimmers?' Krystal asked Remus. "Lily and I are going to the pool today - um, after we study, that is.' She glanced at her father, who snorted, and stood up.

"Lucky you did well in your OWL's my girl,' he said, giving her a kiss on the head. He kissed his wife, and waved at Remus then left for work.

"Krys, Lily rang earlier…" her mother began, but Krystal cut her off.

'Let me guess. She can't go - the boyfriend wants to do something else."

Mrs O'Connor smiled sympathetically and shrugged, walking through to the laundry.

"Lily has a boyfriend?' Remus asked, thinking that James was going to go off his head. "It's a summer fling, that's all. He's a Muggle,' she said, grumpily, then brightened up as she looked at him. "Oh well, you and I can go by ourselves."

"Um, I didn't bring swimmers,' he said, positive he didn't want to spend the day looking at her in that bikini. His body would explode.

"You must have some shorts you can wear,' she said, refusing to take no for an answer. She stood up and collected their empty plates and washed them quickly.

"Come on. Let's go look,' she said, dragging him by his hand up the stairs. She had him dressed and ready in minutes, and in no time they were walking through the gates of the pool.

They found a quiet spot to leave their stuff and Krystal stripped down to her swimmers. "Come on!' she called, as she ran to the pool and bomb dived into the water, getting a warning from the lifeguard on duty, and many admiring looks from the younger men. She laughed and waved at Remus, who took his shirt off, and dived more sedately into the pool. The water was freezing against his hot skin, and as he surfaced, he swore loudly, getting a dirty look from the same lifeguard.

Krystal giggled as she sank beneath the water, surfacing slowly closer to him. She had gotten a good look at him after he took his shirt off, and was feeling a little warm. His chest had broadened and the muscles in his stomach moved under his skin in a way that made her hot. When he'd left her room earlier, she couldn't help letting her eyes fall to his ass, feeling a swooping feeling low in her stomach.

"Do you do laps?' he said, moving towards her.

"No. That would require expending precious energy and I don't see the need for that,' she said, lazily, letting herself float on her back.

He bit his lip, seeing her as close to naked as she could get in public. He ducked under the water, holding his breath as long as possible, trying to distract himself. When he came back up, she was watching him.

'I can beat that,' she said, taking a deep breath and duck diving under the water, giving him a look at her cute butt, making him smile. He timed her using the watch she'd given him, surprised that she was staying under so long. She popped up right in front of him, gasping for air.

They compared times, Remus keeping his eyes averted from her heaving chest, until she said, impatiently, "Would you please look at me?"

He sighed loudly, and looked at her, determinedly keeping his eyes on her face.

"Is there a problem?' she asked, sinking down until the water was just under her chin. "Not if you stay like that for the day,' he mumbled.

'What?' she said, frowning.

"No. No problem,' he said, with a smile at the look on her face.

"Good,' she said, ducking under the water quickly, and he felt his legs get pulled out from under him. He sank under the surface, coming up quickly, with a cough. He saw her laughing, and swam towards her, catching her foot as she tried to swim away. He pulled her towards him, and pushed her down, under the water. He felt her kick his legs and his knees buckled, his own head sinking under as well.

They resurfaced together, Krystal grabbing him around the shoulders and leaning heavily on him, forcing him back under the water, until his hands found her waist and tickled her. His head popped up and he saw her laughing. She wriggled as she tried to get away from him, but he wrapped his arm around her to hold her, continuing to tickle her with the other.

He stopped as he felt her wriggling begin to effect him, but kept his hands resting lightly on her waist. Her arms tightened around his shoulders, as her giggles subsided. She let herself float in the water, her body bumping against him gently.

'You don't play fair,' she complained, when she could talk properly again.

"You can talk,' he retorted, speaking before he thought. "Look at what you're wearing."

She looked at him, startled. He blushed as a grin spread across her face.

"You like it?' she said, a different light flickering in her eyes now. 'My dad hates it.'

"I can see why,' he mumbled, a little grumpily, avoiding her question.

She went red, as her smile broadened. He shook his head, laughing a little.

"Blue doesn't suit you at all,' he said cheekily, before he ducked under the water and grabbed her around the legs, lifting her up and out of the water and throwing her back through the air. She screamed, but came up spluttering and laughing. She ran her hand over the water, sending a spray into his face. He retaliated, and they splashed each other until the lifeguard came over and told them to stop. Remus laughed when Krystal poked her tongue out at the man, and left the pool; the lifeguard's eyes watching her the whole way.

They spread their towels out and lay in the sun, talking about their OWL results, which were very similar, and what they'd been up to during their holidays so far. Krystal thanked Remus again for her birthday present - a beautiful crystal butterfly.

'I thought of you when I saw it,' he told her, trying not to look directly at her. She was lying on her back, and he was on his stomach - uncomfortably aware of her body next to his.

'Butterflies always seem to be moving, even when they're on a flower, their wings are fluttering. Reminds me of you: never able to be still.' He looked down meaningfully at her feet, which were tapping against each other.

She laughed and rolled onto her stomach, bumping into him. As she wriggled back onto her towel, he saw the cleavage her tiny top revealed and groaned audibly.

'What's wrong?' she asked, as she stilled.

He shook his head. 'Nothing,' he fibbed, feeling sweat break out on his forehead. Krystal smiled at him, and put her head down on the towel, closing her eyes. Letting out a breath, Remus did the same, not able to stop himself staring at her for a moment.

Her face had thinned a little, he realised, and her hair was nearly past her shoulders again. He was very close to her and he could see a few faint freckles spread across her nose. Smiling a little, his eyes slipped down to her lips, and he couldn't help wondering again what they would feel like under his. Feeling a tightening in his groin, he tore his gaze away, sighed and closed his eyes, trying to concentrate on anything else.

Krystal heard his sigh and opened her eyes. He was facing her, his eyes closed. She allowed her eyes to wander over his face, noting the small changes that had taken place over the past month. His light brown hair was longer, hanging past his collar now. His jaw was firmer, squarer, and slightly rough. There was a maturity in his face now; it had completely lost any boyish quality it had previously contained. She swallowed hard when her eyes moved to his mouth; her own going dry as she thought how easy it would be to lean over and kiss him. Feeling a heat low in her belly, she frowned.

'What are you frowning about?' he asked softly, startling her. Flushing, she looked up at him, wondering how long he'd been watching her looking at him. She shook her head, feeling flustered.

'Nothing. I, um, I'm just hot. I'm going back into the pool,' she said, pushing herself to her feet and walking back to the pool, not hearing his soft curse as he watched her, his eyes wandering over her curves.

'You're hot, alright,' he said to himself, as he stared at her legs.

'She was looking at my lips,' he realised with a slight smile. 'Maybe this thing isn't so one sided anymore.'

He pushed himself to his feet as she slid into the water.

'I need cooling down as well,' he thought as he quickly moved to the water, jumping in and sinking to the bottom, before pushing himself back to the surface. Krystal shook her head as he hit the water, having admired his arms and chest before he jumped into the pool.

'He's going to drive me out of my mind,' she thought to herself.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks MoonNightLover for reviews and advice. Lots of hugs for you.**

**Thrilled with the hits - would loooovvvveeee more reviews though.**

**It seems they are finally getting somewhere. UST in this really long chapter. Sex soon, I swear to all that's holy.**

Chapter Ten

Krystal and Remus were laying on the back lawn at her house on the last day of the school holidays. They were on their stomachs face to face, as they played wizard chess. Krystal had given Remus a board for his last birthday, telling him he had to teach her to play. They'd gotten caught up with exams though and he'd never played a game with her. She still wanted to learn, and it was too hot inside, so they killed two birds with one stone, laying in the shade of a large tree, her father's chess board between them. Remus was losing; his attention straying often. Not surprising considering Krystal had a thin strapped, low cut shirt on and a pair of shorts that clung to her rear in a way that had his heart pumping hard. The neckline of the shirt kept slipping lower and lower as she wriggled around, seemingly unable to keep still.

"Don't you ever stop moving?' asked Remus, irritably, uncomfortably aroused by this time.

"Nope!' she responded, moving her chess piece and taking one of his, her legs waving in the air. "Drives mum and dad crazy."

"Me too,' he muttered, seeing she had him beaten. He made a pointless move, that allowed her to cry 'Check mate!' He smiled at her enthusiasm, and watched as her chess piece smashed his.

Krystal rolled over onto her back, stretching as she looked up into the branches of the tree. Remus almost groaned out loud as her shirt rode up revealing the skin on her stomach.

"You let me win,' she said, looking over at him. He laughed and moved the chess board out of the way, laying down next to her.

"I'll never tell,' he said, resting his hands on his stomach, feeling her arm brushing his.

Their flirting had picked up over the last couple of days, their sexual tension increasing. Krystal woke up at night after dreaming about Remus, shaking and hot, sliding her hand into her underwear to rid herself of the ache. Remus had been using his time in the shower to relieve himself, feeling a bit like a pervert - masturbating in the house of the girl he was fantasising about, praying to God her father never found out what he was doing.

He'd caught the man watching he and Krys last night as they sat on the couch talking, frowning every time they touched each other - which, given Krystal's penchant for physical contact, was quite often. He'd checked on them several times when they were listening to music and going through their new textbooks in Krystal's room the day before, leaving the door wide open each time.

Now, as they lay under the tree, they talked about their expectations for Sixth Year, the conversation soon turning to their friends. Remus told her how James really did like Lily, and Krystal shared her theory that Lily deep down was attracted to James, but 'he can be a real prat sometimes.' They spoke briefly about Severus, Remus still not understanding the friendship, but Krystal refused to elaborate on why she trusted the Slytherin. Sirius was next, and Remus marvelled at their friends success with the girls at school.

"He's pretty good looking,' said Krystal, trying to explain the attraction. "And he can be damn charming when he wants to be."

Remus looked over at her with a frown on his face.

"I didn't think you particularly enjoyed your date with him in third year. Do you like him now?' he asked, feeling his stomach turn at the thought of her having feelings for their friend.

She looked over at him, seeing his frown. "No, not like that,' she said. He closed his eyes briefly, letting out the breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding.

Looking away from him, she continued. "It's not about looks, you know. There's got to be something else: a connection; a chemistry. I like him, he's a great guy, but Sirius isn't boyfriend material."

Her words sent a wave of relief crashing over him as she let out a short laugh.

"You should hear the stories the girls tell about him though. Him and his incredible tongue."

Remus looked at her. "His incredible tongue?' he asked, unsure if he really wanted to know what that was about. She smiled and rolled over onto her stomach, looking down at him as she propped herself up on her elbows.

"He's a very good kisser, if you listen to the gossip, and Mary said when they were going out he, you know…went down on her and made her scream. Apparently he's very talented in many ways, if you get my drift."

He did, and was having very vivid images of his tongue doing things that made Krystal scream. He felt himself become instantly hard, and quickly rolled over onto his stomach to try and cover it. He didn't think he was successful though, as Krystal seemed to flush and looked down at the grass. They'd never talked about sex before - not seriously, and not since they'd realised their attraction to each other. Krystal wasn't particularly shy about it, but to talk about it with Remus, who she'd spent night after night fantasising about….

'He does get a lot of girlfriends,' said Remus, trying to clear his throat surreptitiously. 'I guess he's had a lot of experience. Do girls really talk about that kind of thing?'

Krystal laughed. 'I don't know if I'd call Sirius' conquests 'girlfriends'. Most of them don't last longer than a couple of days. And, yes; of course girls talk about sex. Don't tell me Sirius hasn't told you lot all about his adventures?'

Remus blushed. As a matter of fact, since he'd lost his virginity before his fifteenth birthday, Sirius had been regularly enthralling all of the boys in their year with tales of his abnormally active sex life. But that wasn't something he wanted to talk about with Krystal, the one girl he wanted to get his hands on more than anything.

'I suppose he probably mentioned something,' he muttered, turning redder when Krystal grinned.

'This is Sirius we're talking about, Remus,' she said. 'I wouldn't be surprised if you told me he pulled out photos and video tapes."

Remus laughed and Krystal joined in. She looked over at him and asked the question on the tip of her tongue before her brain could censure her.

"Remus. Have you ever had…." she stopped, chewing her cheek. He blushed, and pulled at the grass in front of him, pretty sure what she was about to ask him.

"What? Had sex?'' he mumbled quietly, not able to look at her.

'Mmm,' she said in a low voice, and sneaked a look at him.

"No,' he said, his voice rough. 'Guess I'm a slow starter." He looked at her, seeing the small smile on her lips. She knew he hadn't been with anyone from school, but she was curious about whether maybe he had lost his virginity over the holidays one year. She didn't think that was something he'd share with her.

"Plenty of girls think you're cute, Remus. You could have any of them,' she told him, glancing over to see his reaction.

He frowned. 'What girls?' he said, a little curious about these girls, but also hoping she'd say she was one of them.

"Interested? Well, there's Alice, she'd have you in a minute. Then there's whatshername from Ravenclaw. Um, Jane or Janet. And April and Susie from Hufflepuff both like you. And they're just the ones who've asked me if you're available,' she said, pulling blades of grass out of the ground, remembering the feeling of jealousy that had come over her every time a girl approached her about Remus.

She knew he'd been asked out by girls, but he hadn't gone out with any of them, telling her when she asked about it that he just wasn't interested in them. 'When a girl I like asks me out, I'll go on a date,' he'd told her before quickly changing the subject.

'Even Lily thinks you're cute,' she continued now, turning pink as she gathered her courage. 'And of course I think you're gorgeous - but I guess, since I'm your best friend, I don't really count as a girl.'

Remus felt his breathing speed up. She thought he was 'gorgeous'? But she'd said she didn't count as a girl? As far as he was concerned, she was the only girl who mattered. He was a bit startled by what she'd told him though, and took a minute to absorb the new information. He'd never noticed other girls; none of them had ever made him feel like Krystal did. He shook his head.

"Sirius is the playboy - I couldn't go about it the way he does, and just do it with anyone. It's a big deal, you know - the first time. I'd have to really care about whoever I slept with."

He chanced a glance at her, and was surprised to see her staring at him, a strange look in her eyes. She quickly looked away, tugging at the grass again.

"Have you ever?' he mumbled, thinking he couldn't stand the thought of someone else's hands on her.

She shook her head. "Nope - slow starter too,' she said, and he couldn't help the smile that crossed his face.

He felt a clenching in his abdomen, and a feeling of jubilation flooded him, even though he'd been pretty sure she hadn't slept with anyone. He knew other guys had asked her out - many guys, many times. But she usually refused them; going on a date occasionally but she confessed to him that she didn't like them enough to even let them kiss her.

'I can't stand the thought of someone I don't even like sticking his tongue in my mouth,' she'd told him last year.

"You know everyone thinks you're hot?' he said now, his voice shaking a little. She looked a little startled.

"No. I mean, Sirius always carries on, but I thought that was just him being Sirius,' she said, looking over at him. 'Who else thinks that?"

"Interested?' he said, turning her question around on her. 'Hmm. Well, there's pretty much every boy in our year in every house. Then there's the Seventh Years, some of whom I overheard talking about your legs in the bathroom last year…'

She interrupted him, with a laugh. 'Very funny, Remus. You're making that up.'

He shook his head and mumbled, 'I wish I was.'

Krystal glanced over at him again, seeing his frown. 'Every boy in our year, huh?' she said, not sure if she wanted to know if he thought that as well.

'And most of the others,' he grumbled.

'What? Even you?' she said, trying to keep her voice light.

He looked at her incredulously for a moment, then looked away. 'I'm male, and under ninety, Krys,' he answered quietly. 'Of course I think you're hot.'

He tried to sound as blasé as she had as he admitted he found her attractive.

Krystal tried to ignore the heat that streaked through her body, and felt herself trembling as she spoke. 'I guess I'm like you - I can't imagine sleeping with just anyone. I want it to be with someone I really trust; really care about. You're right - the first time should be special."

Remus closed his eyes. The thought of Krystal with anyone else made his chest hurt - a lot.

They were both pulling at the grass, not able to look at each other. This was as close as they had come to admitting their feelings, and they were both still too scared of the other's reaction to be the one to actually say it.

"I'm really glad you came to stay, Remus,' she said softly, nudging the back of his hand gently with hers.

"So am I, Krys,' he replied, his voice low. He moved his hand to lay against hers. She let her fingers slip into his hand, smiling when he closed his around them.

"Krystal, Remus! Would you both come in and pack your trunks please?' Krystal's mother called. They hesitated just a second, then Remus stood, holding out his hands for Krystal. She allowed him to help her up, and for a moment they stood there, holding hands and looking at each other. Krystal smiled, and backed away, dropping his hands. He smiled back at her, and they moved towards the house.

Her mother and father were sitting at the kitchen table when they walked in and Mrs O'Connor looked up at them with a smile.

'Remus, your mother called a little while ago,' she said. 'She said to call her back tonight.'

Remus nodded and smiled. 'Thanks, Mrs O'Connor, and thanks again for letting me stay. I've had a good time.'

He smiled at Krystal and she smiled back, flushing a little before they both walked up the stairs and into their separate rooms.

Mr O'Connor watched them go with a frown, then looked at his wife.

'I told you this was a bad idea,' he said irritably.

'Michael, it was going to happen whether we let him stay or not,' she replied. 'It's been coming for a while. At least we know for sure now.'

'I know all right,' he mumbled, standing up and tossing his cup into the sink. 'I was sixteen once, Kathy. I know exactly what he's thinking.'

'I don't think this is a one sided attraction, honey,' she said gently. 'She's not your baby anymore.'

'She's too young,' he frowned, but his wife said, 'I was Krys' age when I lost my virginity. How old were you again?'

He glared down at her, then said in a defeated tone, 'You'd better talk to her.'

Krystal was packing her trunk when her mother came into the room. She dropped to the bed, watching Krystal as she threw clothes in haphazardly.

"You really should fold those,' she commented disapprovingly. Krystal responded by throwing her robes in from across the room.

'You never did have very good listening skills,' she said, with a sigh. She looked up at her daughter. "I'd hoped it would be a little longer until I had to have this talk with you: you're growing up too quickly."

Krystal stopped packing and frowned, saying, "Mum, if this is what I think it is, we've already had this talk at school, and it was embarrassing enough there." Her mother smiled, and nodded.

"Yes, I remember that talk too, but this is slightly different. This is more about how you are feeling - about Remus."

Krystal frowned again, blinking a couple of times. 'What do you mean? We're friends..', she said, trying to stall.

But her mother smiled. "Come on Krystal, I've got eyes. I've see how you are with him. That's one reason I asked him to stay. I wasn't sure if I was imagining things - now I know I'm not.

Krystal bit her lip. "Mum, I really don't want to talk about this…'

"I know,' said her mother. "But I think we need to. It's obvious you're attracted to him, and I want to make sure that, if you should decide to take the next step with him, with anyone, you are prepared."

"God, mum!' Krystal exclaimed, turning red and sitting at her chair at the desk.

"Krys, I want you to be sure…"

"Mum, I can't even tell him I like him that way, ok,' she said, crossing her arms across her chest. She shook her head. "I just can't do it. I want to, but I'm scared he doesn't feel the same. What if he decides he doesn't want to be my friend anymore?"

Krystal rubbed her eyes with her fists, trying to keep the much hated tears at bay. "Why couldn't things just stay like they were?"

Her mother came over to her and hugged her. "You keep such a firm reign over your emotions, Krys,' she said. 'But not even you can control who you're attracted to.'

But Krystal shook her head. 'It's not just that, mum. I really care about him; I feel… safe around him. I'm happier when I'm with him.'

Her mother looked closely at her, realising that her daughter's feelings ran deeper than she'd expected.

"All the more reason to be cautious. Your first time is special, Krys. Just make sure the boy you choose is worthy of you, and respects you. I can see how much Remus cares for you. He's a nice boy. Just be sure he's the right boy."

Krystal smiled, and looked at her mother. "Don't most parents try to talk their children out of having sex?' she asked.

Her mother laughed and shook her head. "If I thought that I could stop you, I would. But you've never been very good at taking instruction, so if I can't stop you - at least I can help you be safe. Speaking of which, if you do decide to have….."

Krystal quickly interrupted, not wanting to hear her mother say the S word. "Mum, I know all the spells, and I don't think you have to worry: I'm still not sure he even wants anything like that with me."

Her mother laughed again, standing up. "Oh Krys, he's crazy about you, he has been for years."

Krystal looked unsure and her mother laid a hand on her shoulder. "Be careful with your heart, honey, but don't be so scared of getting hurt, that you miss out on something special."

Krystal nodded. 'Thanks mum," she said.

The trip back to Hogwarts went quickly. OWL results were discussed, almost everyone doing as well as they'd hoped. Remus found himself looking at Sirius in a different way after his conversation with Krystal. He made a mental note to have a talk with him soon, wanting to know exactly what he'd done to make Mary scream.

He looked over at Krystal, who was laughing at a joke James had told. Things had changed between them; they both felt it. He was starting to believe that there may be a chance that there could be something more for them. He was inexperienced at this kind of thing, but he could sense the rising tension between them, and knew he wasn't going to be able to stay silent about the way he felt for much longer.

The first weeks at school passed quickly as the Sixth years got used to NEWT classes, the work becoming much more difficult. The good thing was that they got free periods, although with the amount of homework they were getting, they would need every spare minute to study. Remus was on a free period with Sirius when he decided to ask him about the gossip Krystal had heard.

"She did scream,' Sirius remembered fondly, when Remus told him what he'd heard about Mary.

"How do you know all this? How do you know what to do?' Remus asked, a little in awe of his friends successful sex life.

"I had a good teacher - an older girl,' he said at Remus' puzzled look.

"Oh,' he said, a little disappointed. He'd been hoping there was some kind of book that told you what to do.

Sirius looked at him closely. "Are you thinking you might be needing some tips someday soon?' he said, staring at his friend, a strange look flittering across his face.

"No. I just…..I want to know what I'm doing if it happens, that's all,' he replied, a little embarrassed.

"You and Krys - have you….." he began, but Remus shook his head.

"Nothing's happened, but…I have to tell her soon, Sirius. Either tell her or try and forget her. I'm going to go insane if I don't do something."

Sirius nodded. "I think you're doing the right thing, Moony. Listen, I've seen you and Krystal together. I'd be really surprised if she said she wasn't into you,' he said.

Remus was grateful for his friend's support, and hopeful that Sirius was right.

"And if you do need some advice, come and see me." Sirius grinned for a moment, before his face turned serious."She's pretty special, Moony. Make sure if it happens, you look after her. Don't hurt her, or you'll answer to me."

Remus could see he wasn't joking. He was a little startled by the intensity in Sirius' voice, but nodded and watched as his friend left the room.

But he didn't say anything, still unsure about how to approach the subject, and nervous about what she might say. Christmas came and went, Remus becoming more frustrated by the day, unaware of Krystal's similar discomfort.

The sixth years had been learning new skills in all their classes, including DADA class. Non verbal spells were expected now, and Remus was practicing with Krystal, who was already proficient at silent spell work. Their exams weren't far away, a few months, and Remus was still having some trouble with silent summoning spells.

"You have to concentrate really hard, Remus,' she said, as she handed him back the wand she'd just summoned from his hand. "Visualise what you want and think of the incantation."

"I _am_ trying,' he said, crankily. She smiled a little at his tone, and backed away. He held up his wand again, trying to concentrate on summoning hers. His mind kept wandering though, allowing his eyes to slip away from her wand. He closed his eyes in frustration as her wand stayed firmly in her hand.

'Come on,' he thought in frustration. 'I have no trouble visualising something I really want, like Krystal.'

He felt hot as he remembered his fantasy of the night before - Krystal lying under him, their arms around each other as they made out, clothes quickly getting stripped away. He shivered as he recalled the vision of his mouth making it's way over her breast, then he heard a yelp, and opened his eyes, seeing the object of his dreams stumble towards him, before stopping.

Remus let out a disbelieving breath. Had he done that?

Krystal looked puzzled, as she lowered her wand. Remus kept his aloft, narrowing his eyes slightly as he again concentrated on her. Three seconds later, he caught her as she fell against him.

"What did you do?' she asked, with a laugh.

"I just visualised what I wanted,' he said, looking down at her.

Krystal felt a shiver run down her spine. He didn't mean that the way it sounded, did he? A smile crept across his face, and she pushed at his chest, thinking he'd been teasing her.

"You're supposed to be summoning my wand,' she said, her face turning pink as she backed away from him again. He smiled broadly at her.

"Try again,' she said, shaking her head, as she grinned back at him.

Later they were laying on the grass, potion books open. It was an unseasonably warm day, and they'd decided to make the most of it, bringing their books outside to study. Remus was picking blades of grass out of the ground, as Krystal tried to memorise the ingredients for the Draught of the Living Death potion for their next lesson. He had almost no interest in Potions at the moment; he was far more committed to breathing in whatever perfume it was that she was wearing. He rolled over onto his side, propping his head up on his hand and looked down at her.

'God,' he thought, watching her mouth. 'She even makes potions sound sexy.'

Feeling like playing, he reached over, and tickled her cheek with a long piece of grass.

She brushed it away and looked over at him briefly, saying, "Stop that."

He did, then, as she described how to make the potion, he ran the grass along her arm, surprised by the shiver he saw shake her.

"Cut it out, Remus,' she said, sounding a little breathless as she continued with her revision. His own breath coming quicker, he didn't touch her for a minute, then moved the grass across her jaw and down her throat.

She drew in a sharp breath, then jumped up, glaring at him. "You're driving me crazy!" she burst out. He stared at her in shock.

'God!' she ground out, frustrated, before spinning around and stalking back to the castle, leaving him lying there stunned.

"Lily, come on. Just tell me the spell for the stairs, and I can go up and see her."

Lily shook her head. "Sorry, Remus. No can do. She refuses to come down, and you can't go up. Just give her some space, alright,' she said, secretly delighted that it seemed her two friends might finally get together. Krystal hated change, and had fought her feelings for so long, but it looked as though she may be giving in.

He frowned and threw himself onto the couch, determined to find a way to talk to Krystal today. She'd said he was making her crazy: did she mean the same way she was driving him crazy? She'd been flirting with him during the holidays, and he'd allowed himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, there could be something more there. Could she really want him like he wanted her? He almost asked Lily, but he knew she wouldn't tell him anything Krystal might have told her. It was the full moon that night, if he didn't see her soon, he wouldn't see her again until tomorrow night.

"Can't you just…." he began, but she cut him off with curt shake of her head and a snapped, "No, Remus!"

At breakfast on Monday, James, Sirius and Peter all looked upset about something. The full moon had been the night before, and Krystal was planning on sneaking up to the infirmary at lunchtime to see Remus. She didn't know how she was going to explain her behaviour the day before, but she needed to see that he was alright.

"What's wrong with you lot?' she asked, her mouth full of toast.

"Nothing,' all three said quickly.

Krystal looked at them, her jaws ceasing their chewing. She swallowed, and said sarcastically, "Gee, that reassures me."

They couldn't meet her eye. She watched them carefully for the rest of breakfast, then forgot about their behaviour as their first class began.

She bolted down a quick lunch, then ran up to the infirmary. She convinced Madame Pomfrey to let her just see Remus for a few minutes, promising on her life she would leave when told. He had his face turned into his pillow as she slipped around the curtain.

"Remus,' she said, softly, touching his arm as she sat on the edge of the bed. He jumped a little, but kept his head turned.

"Hi!' he said, his voice hoarse. Krystal noticed his tension, and became concerned.

"What's wrong?' she said, trying to see his face. 'How bad is it?'

He shook his head, saying, "It's nothing,' in a forced cheerful tone. He finally turned his head, and she saw his slightly swollen face and red eyes.

"Strange,' she said, now worried. "That's exactly what the other three said this morning, and I didn't believe them either. Something happened last night, didn't it?"

Remus shook his head again, but she cut him off before he could say anything. "You are an incredibly bad liar, Remus, so don't bother trying,' she said, irritably.

She saw him swallow hard, and her voice softened. "You're upset, Remus. You're scaring me. Please tell me what's wrong,' she said, reaching out to take his shaking hand.

He told her, and watched as her blue eyes turned the same shade of silver he had seen once before. "They didn't!" she said, her voice low, but furious.

"Krys..' he began, but Madame Pomfrey interrupted, telling Krystal her that her allotted five minutes were up. Jaw clenched tight, Krystal backed away from the bed, staring for a moment at Remus, before turning and running back down the stairs.

She found the three boys in their room in Gryffindor Tower. She flung open the door, and it hit the wall with a loud crash, startling the boys who were sitting on James' bed. Krystal stalked over to Sirius, drew her hand back and, with all the strength she could muster, slapped him across the face.

Sirius was knocked off the bed, landing hard on the floor. "Krys…' James yelled, jumping up and grabbing her arm, which she had lifted again with every intention of hitting Sirius a second time.

"How could you?' she spat at the boy, who was now sitting up and holding his cheek. "How could you do that to them?"

Sirius looked every bit as distressed as Krystal as he unsteadily got back onto his feet. He shook his head. "It was a prank, that's all. I didn't think….." Krystal wrenched her arm away from James, glaring at him as well before turning back to Sirius.

"No. You lot never think, do you? You could have gotten Severus killed!" Sirius' eye's showed his misery and she took a breath, looking over at James, who's expression reflected Sirius'. "And what about Remus? He's meant to be your friend!"

James grabbed her arms, saying in an urgent tone, "I know, I know. We are complete idiots, and we feel awful. We're so sorry, we never meant for anyone to get really hurt…."

Krystal stared at him, and then pointed at Sirius. "He told Sev to follow Remus down the tunnel; on the full moon; after he'd transformed! What did you expect would happen? That Remus would just give Sev a pat on the head for being so clever and send him on his way?'

She was so frustrated and angry she stomped her foot like a child.

'You know he's not Remus when he changes, he would have killed Severus! God, James! He's terrified that he'll hurt someone one day, how could you lot do this to him?"

"Are you worried about Snivellus or Remus?' said an angry Sirius, standing behind her, a red handprint on his pale face. She spun around to face him, and he involuntarily stepped back, the ferociousness in her face startling him.

"They are both my friends, I don't want to see either of them hurt. I know you don't like Severus, but you went too far, and you've hurt Remus this time as well!"

She was shouting now, so angry that she did not see Professor Dumbledore appear in the doorway.

"Krystal,' he said firmly, walking into the room. "Although I am inclined to agree with you, I would ask you to keep your voice down, please." He looked past Krystal's startled face, to the three boys.

"I have spoken to Mr Snape, and you will be pleased to know that he has promised not to reveal Mr Lupin's secret." Krystal felt some of her tension leave her, and heard loud breaths of relief behind her.

"However, it was a thoughtless, dangerous prank, for which you will be receiving a month's worth of detention's, Mr Black. To begin tonight."

Sirius nodded and the Headmaster's eyes narrowed. "What has happened to your face, Mr Black?' he asked, staring at his red, rapidly bruising cheek.

Sirius looked at the teacher's face, and said," I fell off the bed and hit the nightstand."

Krystal turned to look at him, her anger at him fading as he protected her.

"Hmmm,' said Professor Dumbledore, looking at Krystal. "Miss O'Connor, would you take Mr Black to the nurse, please. I think she should look at that cheek." She could see he knew exactly what had happened, but was choosing to ignore it unless Sirius complained.

"Yes, sir,' she said, walking towards the door, waiting there for Sirius to follow.

"You both have free periods this afternoon. Perhaps Mr Lupin would enjoy a visit,' said the Headmaster with a small smile. Sirius and Krystal nodded and left the room.

They walked in silence for a minute, and then Krystal spoke. "I shouldn't have hit you. I'm sorry.'

Sirius shook his head. "No. You were sticking up for Remus. I deserved it." He stopped and looked at her, taking her hand 'I am sorry, Krys. I didn't think about how Remus would feel, and I should have. Please don't be angry at me. I hate that I've let you down."

Krystal was a little startled by the look in his eyes, but could see he was sincerely regretful about what had happened. She smiled grimly at him and began to walk up the stairs, pulling him after her by the hand.

"Tell it to Remus, not me,' she said.

Sirius did just that, as did James and Peter. And Remus, being a kind and forgiving person, told them not to worry about it; that it was fine. Krystal marvelled at his ability to forgive and forget, until she realised just how much the incident had affected him.

'They're my friends, Krys,' he said, not meeting her eye. 'I am grateful for everything they've done for me.'

Krystal looked at him with a frown. She'd often thought he let his friends get away with too much. He was so appreciative of their help and acceptance that he overlooked their many faults.

'It was an incredibly stupid thing for them to do,' she said softly. 'It is alright if you're angry with them about it.'

It was dinner time the next evening, and they were in his room; Remus laying on his bed, Krystal sitting on the edge next to him. Krystal was concerned: he hadn't come down for meals today, claiming to be tired, but he was withdrawing, pulling away from her and his friends. When he hadn't turned up for dinner either, Krystal left, finding him in bed.

He had his head turned away from her slightly, trying to hide his expression. More upset than he wanted to let on, he felt on the verge of tears; he was exhausted from the transformation, and all the frustration and helplessness he felt about his condition was coming to the surface. He had been terrified when he'd found out what had happened; thinking about what could have happened.

'Remus, please,' she pleaded, her hand touching his chin and applying pressure, trying to get him to turn his head. 'Look at me.'

He closed his eyes, and gritted his teeth, not wanting to give in to the misery he felt, before he turned to face her.

Krystal saw the fear and sorrow on his face and felt a rush of anger at the three boys who had done this to him.

'I'm so sorry, Remus,' she whispered, reaching out to take his hand. He swallowed hard, the sound of her voice making him want to bawl like a baby, and suddenly, he felt as though he couldn't go another minute without holding her.

He sat up and pulled her to him, hugging her tight against him and feeling her arms wrap around him. He was struggling to control himself, feeling his eyes stinging, his chest burning as he tried to contain his feelings.

Her voice was soft next to his ear, her hands stroking his hair as she whispered, "It's alright, honey, Just let it go now."

He felt the kiss she pressed against his hair, and the tears he'd been fighting began to spill over, falling onto her shirt as he buried his face in her shoulder.

They remained like that for several minutes, Krystal stroking his hair and his back as she held him to her. Her heart was breaking for him, wanting so desperately to help him, but knowing there was nothing she could do. His tears stopped, but it took another minute or two before he gathered the courage to lift his head.

'You must think I'm such a wimp,' he mumbled eventually, pulling away from her, embarrassed about his breakdown. She smiled, and grabbed his arm, stopping him from moving away.

'I don't think any such thing, Remus,' she said, grasping his face in her hands. She ran her thumbs over his cheeks, wiping the remains of his tears away before dropping them back to her lap.

His voice shook a little again and he cleared his throat. "Thank you, Krys,' he said, his voice breaking. "I really needed you tonight."

She suddenly wanted to kiss him so badly she had to bite her lip hard to stop herself.

"Well,' she said lightly. "I had nothing else to do."

He smiled at her, unthinkingly raising one of his hands to tuck her hair behind her ear, the other hand still resting on her leg. She took the hand in hers as he moved to drop it, and kissed the top of it. The look in his eyes changed, and he let his hand move to her face, still holding hers.

He stroked a finger gently across her cheek, slowly making it's way across to trace the edge of her bottom lip, noticing that it started shaking when he touched it. They stared at each other, breath quickening. There was no doubt in either of their minds how the other felt now - they could see their own longing reflected in each others face.

Remus stroked his hand over her hair gently and whispered, "You are so beautiful, Krys. I've always wanted to tell you that."

Krystal felt an ache begin in her chest and she bit her lip to stop it trembling. His hand stopped on the back of her head and he leaned forward, kissing her softly on the cheek, his lips just brushing the corner of hers. He pulled back a little to see her reaction and saw her opening her eyes. Her blue eyes met his and he moved back towards her, his lips lightly skimming over hers but before their mouths met properly, they heard a noise.

A throat cleared in the doorway of the room, and they turned to see Sirius, James and Peter walking into the room.

"We're really sorry, mate,' said James, awkwardly, looking from Remus to Krystal. Remus nodded.

"I know. Thanks', he said. 'It's fine.' Peter smiled at Remus, then moved off to his bed, and James patted Remus on the shoulder, before turning and going into the bathroom. Sirius sat down on the bed next to Krystal.

"You alright?' he asked, looking at his friend. Remus nodded again.

"Thanks, Sirius,' he said. Sirius smiled. "Night, guys,' he said, standing and closing the curtains around them.

They looked at each other, Krystal feeling Remus' hand that was on her leg, move to the small of her back. "I should go,' she said, with a frown. He slid his hand up to her shoulder and the other slipped down as well, Krystal feeling a shiver run along her spine.

"Don't,' he whispered, hands on her shoulders. "Stay."

She bit her lip. "I don't know if that's a good idea,' she admitted.

He smiled, saying, 'I think it's a great idea."

She smiled at him as well, as he spoke again. "I sleep better when you're with me, Krys,' he said softly, his smile fading as he repeated his request. "Stay."

She stood up, taking her jacket off. "You're going to get me into trouble, you know,' she said, slipping her shoes off.

He smiled and stood up as well. "Hang on,' he said, parting the curtains and grabbing some clothes from his side table drawer. He threw her a shirt and a pair of his shorts. "They might be more comfortable than jeans,' he suggested, taking his own shirt off quickly. She held her breath as her eyes ran down over his chest to his stomach, where she could see a sprinkling of hair disappearing into his pants. He saw her looking and felt himself become aroused.

"Turn around,' he said, hoarsely. "I'll turn around too, so you can change."

She shook her head, swallowing hard. God, she felt hot after seeing him with his shirt off. "Remus, you've seen me in a bikini, there's really not all that much more left to see,' she said, pulling her own shirt off.

His knees felt weak as he saw her in her bra, and stopped breathing when she unsnapped her jeans and slid them down her legs.

"Shit,' he muttered, turning away, knowing if he didn't he wouldn't be able to control himself any longer.

He slid his own pants off, dressing quickly in his pyjamas. When he turned back, she was pulling on his shirt. The sight of her dressed in his clothes turned him on almost as much as seeing her in her underwear. She smiled at him as she tucked both her arms inside the shirt, twisting around.

'Wandless magic,' she joked, grinning as she pulled her bra out of one of the armholes. He smiled, then felt heat rush to his groin as he saw her nipples hard under the shirt.

'Maybe this wasn't such a brilliant idea,' he said, sitting down to try and hide his reaction to her. She slid into his bed and pulled the covers up to her chin.

"Do you still want me to stay?' she asked. He nodded, and she lifted the covers. "Look, let's just go to sleep, alright? We're both exhausted, and anything else, everything else, can wait till another time." He smiled and got into bed next to her.

"You're a very smart woman you know,' he said.

"Mmm, I know,' she said, moving so she was on her side, drawing his arm over her. She wriggled back until her butt was pressed against him, Remus moving back quickly.

"Too late,' she said with a soft giggle. "I know it's there now - you might as well move back." He closed his eyes, feeling his face flush. She rolled over to face him when he didn't move back.

"It's alright, Remus. I know it's just.….."

"a massive hard on,' he finished, looking straight at her. She flushed, and tried unsuccessfully to hide her cheeky smile.

"Hmmm. Would we call it 'massive'?' she asked, looking thoughtful as he gave her an embarrassed smile. Her smile slid off her face as she took his face in her hands.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm having a similar problem. Yours is just a little more obvious."

It didn't make him feel better: he had to grip the sheets to stop himself throwing himself on her.

"But this is not the time to talk about this, ok? We're too tired and emotional to be sure about what we're saying or doing."

He stared at her for a moment, taking deep breaths and nodded as she rolled back over.

"Now come over here and let me decide if 'massive' really was the correct word."

He laughed and moved until he was pressed along her back, running his arm around her waist, groaning a little when he felt it graze the bottom of her breasts.

'Mmm, not too far wrong, but I have very limited experience,' she said softly.

He smiled into her hair and closed his eyes, in a few minutes feeling sleep creeping up on him.

"I sleep better with you too, Remus,' she suddenly said quietly, feeling him pull her tighter against him, as they fell asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

**These are long chapters. Hope that's OK. Review and tell me if you'd prefer I shortened them.**

**Together at last - or will a visit from Mr Lupin throw a spanner in the works? Kisses this chapter guaranteed - not necessarily between who you might think though. **

Chapter Eleven

"Thank you for staying with me last night,' he said the next morning, his face going a little pink. She smiled.

"Your bed's more comfortable than mine,' she quipped, and he let out a small laugh, reaching for her hands, and looking at each other for a moment.

"We should talk about…..' he began, but she shook her head quickly. They were in the nearly deserted Entrance Hall, having finished breakfast quickly.

'It's not the time or the place. Let's just concentrate on our classes for now, ok. We can talk later tonight,' she said softly. 'This is a big change we're talking about…and things got pretty emotional last night. Maybe you'll decide you don't want this…'

'Krys, I'm sure,' he said, certain he wanted nothing more. 'I want things to change for us.'

Krystal bit her lip then gave him a tentative smile. 'So do I,' she admitted.

He stared at her for a second, then ran his hands up her arms to cup her shoulders, pulling her into an embrace; his arms wrapping around her back as hers slid around his waist. She closed her eyes against the rush of emotion that threatened to knock her to the ground.

"Remus." They heard his father's voice from the front doors, and jumped, moving apart.

"Dad!' Remus said, as his father moved across the hall to them. He saw his father take in his and Krystal's red faces, and was surprised to see a frown cross his face.

"What are you doing here?' he asked, feeling slightly defiant as he felt for Krystal's hand and took it, pulling her closer to his side.

"Professor Dumbledore contacted me and let me know what had happened the other night. You know your mother: she was worried, so I finally agreed to check on you,' he replied, and turned to Krystal. "Hello, Krystal."

"Hi, Mr Lupin,' she said, flushing a little, trying to remove her hand from Remus' but he refused to let go.

'Have you finished breakfast?' he asked his son, his frown deepening. When Remus nodded, he said, 'Come on then. Walk me down to the gate.' Remus nodded, and squeezed Krystal's hand.

'I'll see you in class,' she said, with a smile, returning Mr Lupin's farewell wave.

They walked down the stairs and made their way to the school gates. Once Mr Lupin confirmed that Remus was fine, he cleared his throat and said, 'I need to talk to you Remus - about what I just saw between you and Krystal.'

His fathers voice was serious, and Remus felt slightly concerned.

"Can you tell me how…..far your friendship has gone?' Mr Lupin said, trying to choose his words carefully. But Remus had no such trouble, deciding there was no point dragging this discussion out.

'You're asking if we've had sex?' he said stopping, his cheeks flushing but his eyes remaining fixed on his father who also stood still. A muscle in his father's jaw jumped as he gritted his teeth and nodded.

"We haven't,' Remus said, looking down at the ground. "It's only just happened. We haven't spoken about any of this stuff yet; I haven't even kissed her yet - although I might have had the chance if you hadn't interrupted us.' He mumbled the last comment under his breath then looked up at his father. He was surprised to see the relieved look on his father's face.

"I know all the spells, dad, and I'd never hurt Krys….." he began, thinking that he was about to get 'the talk.'

His father interrupted, saying, "I know you'd never want to hurt her, Remus, but I don't think you've really thought this relationship through - and I'm not just talking about sex."

Remus frowned and opened his mouth, but Mr Lupin continued, turning away and starting to move again, Remus following him.

"This is my fault. I could see the way you felt about her changing, but…' He sighed. 'I know that Krystal doesn't have a problem with having a lycanthrope as a friend, and I respect her for that. Not many people are as supportive or understanding as she is….and that's the problem."

He paused and looked at his son. "You are going to face some tough times, Remus. People will eventually find out about your lycanthropy, and, as much as I wish it weren't true, they won't be as kind as Krystal and your friends. And, if you are involved with someone, they will be treated as badly as I fear you will be."

He had never heard his father speak like this, and Remus knew it was upsetting him to talk about his son this way.

"I wish you could have a normal life, son, but no matter how much I want it, you won't. And neither will anyone who is in a relationship with you."

Remus stopped abruptly as they reached the gates, turning away as his father continued talking. He had an awful feeling he knew what he was going to ask him to do.

"I don't think you've considered exactly what Krystal will be taking on, Remus. Before either of you get too serious, you need to know what you are asking of her. You are asking her to take the same treatment you will get; to face being ostracised by her friends and family if they can't accept you; to perhaps be rejected for any job she might want; to never be able to have children. She's only sixteen, Remus. She doesn't know what she's getting into. But you do."

He heard his father coming up behind him and felt his hand on his shoulder.

"You need to stop it, Remus, before it goes too far and she ends up getting hurt."

Remus shook his head, not wanting to hear his father's words as he continued to speak.

"One day, she'll be mature enough to weigh everything up and make a decision, but she can't do that now. Krystal is a wonderful person: she's warm and funny and she obviously cares for you very much, but it's best to end this now, son, before it gets too serious."

Remus felt himself shaking, his eyes and voice full of tears as he said softly, "I…I don't want to lose her. I really, really care about her, dad."

His father's hand tightened on his shoulder and he was silent for a moment before he said gently, "All the more reason to let her go, Remus."

The portrait hole leading into the Gryffindor common room opened quietly late that night, Remus ducking a bit as he climbed through. He had insisted he felt ill after his dad left, visiting the hospital wing to think about what his father had said, refusing all visitors. The more he thought, the sadder he felt. His father was right. His feelings for Krystal were strong and he wanted nothing more than to be with her; but he wanted her to be happy. Being with him wouldn't make her happy - not once his condition became common knowledge.

He had hoped if he came back so late, Krystal would not be still awake. But it wasn't to be. He saw Krystal curled up on the couch in front of the fire. She'd been waiting for him; just as he'd known she probably would. He walked over to her and crouched beside her, watching her sleep. All these years he'd wanted her, and now they were so close and he had to push her away. He felt his eyes sting again, but he refused to allow her see how much this was going to hurt him, not when he would be doing his best to make her hate him. Taking a breath, he allowed himself one last touch; stroking her cheek, before he shook her awake.

"Hi!' she said, rubbing her eyes as she sat up.

"Hey,' he said, trying to sound as if he hadn't been counting down the seconds until he saw her again. He stood up, moving away from her.

"You should go on up to bed,' he said, looking away.

She looked confused by the distance he had put between them. "What's wrong?' she asked, standing as well. 'Why wouldn't you let me come and see you in the hospital wing?'

He shook his head, looking back at her. "I'm tired, I guess. Listen, Krystal….I think we may have made a mistake. I know we thought that we might get together, but I've had some time today to think about it and we're better as friends, don't you think?' he said, trying to keep his tone cool and light.

Krystal stared at him for a moment, trembling, hurt all over her face. 'What?' she asked, standing up to face him.

'I'm sorry, Krystal,' he said, his chest aching. 'I just got carried away, I guess. I don't feel the same way you do. You….you're hot and you turn me on, and I just don't want you to think it's anything more than sex I would want. I'm not interested in anything serious with you.'

He could barely meet her eye, but when he did, he briefly glimpsed the pain there, before suddenly, he saw her eyes change, hardening.

"Well, I guess it's for the best that nothing really happened then. It would have been a big mistake. I am going to go up to bed, I didn't realise how late it was. Night,' she said, tonelessly.

She walked past him, up the stairs to her room. Remus ran a hand over his eyes, telling himself again that this was for the best; this was for Krystal. He only just managed to get into bed, before his tears started to fall.

Krystal didn't cry, nor did she sleep. She sat at the breakfast table the next morning, pushing eggs around her plate when Sirius threw himself down next to her.

"Morning,' he said cheerfully, looking over at her. 'Jeez, Krys, are you alright?"

She looked at him and saw Remus sit down next to him. She threw down her fork.

"I'm fine, thanks,' she said, standing up and walking away, Sirius staring at her back in shock. He'd never hear Krystal sound so cold before. Controlled, polite but frigid. He turned to Remus, who looked pained and stood up himself.

'I forgot my Potions books.' Sirius watched him leave the room as well, confused by the tension.

Remus didn't come back for breakfast, but Sirius pulled him aside after a class with both him and Krystal that had a distinct chill.

"What's going on? I thought from what we saw the other night, you and Krys would be together now, but you could barely look at each other in there. What happened?' he asked.

Remus looked at him. He knew Sirius was his friend, but he also cared about Krystal, and he had no doubt their friend would tell Krys everything if he knew.

"I realised the other night that I just don't have feelings for her anymore. I guess I mistook my attraction to her for something deeper. I think Krys is mad at me, but it's for the best,' he said, trying to sound blasé.

Sirius stared at him disbelievingly for a moment. "Are you kidding?' he said. "Cause if you are, it's a really bad joke."

Remus shrugged, trying to look as though he couldn't care less.

Sirius shook his head, angry now. "So, that's it? All this angst over the past two years about Krystal just forgotten?' he spat out.

Remus nodded, unable to get any words past the lump in his throat.

Sirius exhaled loudly through his nose as he looked at Remus. All of a sudden, his fist shot out and hit Remus on the jaw, sending him stumbling into the wall. He grabbed his face, and looked over at Sirius, who was now pointing his wand at him.

"I warned you not to hurt her,' he said, eyes flashing. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"You're the one who just punched me; what the hell is wrong with you?' Remus yelled at him, his jaw protesting painfully.

Sirius shook his head in disgust, turned and walked away.

He found Krystal sitting beside the lake throwing stones into the still water, watching the ripples as they broke on the bank.

"He told you?' she said as he sat next to her. He nodded.

"I don't believe him, Krys. Something's going on,' Sirius said.

She laughed - a bitter sound. "Yeah, well maybe he has another personality - an evil twin. I'm just glad I found out before anything happened,' she spat out, throwing a stone hard at the water.

She raised her hand to throw another, but he caught it. "Krys, are you alright?' he asked, concerned by the look on her face, and the lack of any emotion in her eyes.

"Oh I'm just fine, Sirius,' she said, turning to look at him. "I was mistaken about his feelings. Not the end of the world. Plenty more fish in the sea."

She turned back towards the water. "Or the lake, as they case may be,' she said, throwing the stone hard, both of them watching as it soared far out into the lake out of sight.

Sirius frowned. "How did you do that?' he asked, amazed she'd thrown it so far.

"Magic, I guess,' she said miserably, looking back at him. "Why did he pretend to feel the same, Sirius?'

He stared at her, seeing the hard look in her eyes crack a little. 'I don't think he did, Krys,' he said softly, putting his arm around her. 'I don't know what's happened, but he is crazy about you.'

She shook her head, laying it on his shoulder. They stayed like that for a minute, then Krystal raised her head and looked at Sirius, a strange look in her eyes.

'Krys, what….' he began, but his words were cut off, as her lips met his.

Sirius hesitated for a few seconds, then, as her lips parted, he raised his hands to her head, holding her close to him as he responded. Krystal's hands moved to his chest, then slid up to his shoulders, as Sirius deepened their kiss, hearing her small moan as his tongue touched hers. The sound sent heat straight to his groin, and he did it again. He felt her tongue flick over his lip, making him groan and completely forget all the reasons they shouldn't be doing this.

His hands moved into her hair as they made out for a few minutes, Sirius pushing Krystal back onto the grass, moving so he was lying lightly across her chest. His hand moved to stroke her cheek, then run over her neck, hearing her make a little noise in her throat. Krystal's hands moved as well, running lightly down his back. He pressed himself closer, her touch sending a shiver through him. Then he felt her fingers graze the bare skin under his shirt, and her touch on his back made him realise just how out of hand the kiss had gotten.

He pushed himself away from her, breathing heavily. 'Fuck!' he exclaimed loudly, running his hands through his hair.

'Sirius…' she began, sitting up, but he shook his head.

'I shouldn't have let it go that far, Krys. I'm sorry. I just….' he stopped, looking over at her.

Krystal had also seen sense, and scooted towards him. 'No, it was my fault, Siri. I'm sorry. I was…. using you to feel better. You are such a good friend. You don't deserve for me to treat you like that.'

Sirius let out a breath of laughter. 'Yeah. I know all about using other people to forget someone,' he said, his voice low. 'I suppose that's called karma, isn't it?'

Krystal looked confused, and he took her face in his hands. 'I wanted to, Krys. I knew better, but I wanted to kiss you, so I didn't care that you were hurting and vulnerable. That makes me a really shitty friend.'

They looked at each other for a second. 'Any chance we can forget about this one as well?' he quipped, referring to their first brief kiss at the party. Krystal smiled and reached out for his hand, kissing it quickly.

'Do you want to forget it?' she asked.

He closed his eyes briefly. No, he didn't, but what he said was, 'I think it's best, Krys. It should never have happened. Remus is one of my best friends…'

Krystal interrupted him. 'Remus made his choice, Sirius..'

He shook his head, and smiled at her. 'Krys, he's spent the last five years waiting for the slightest hint that you felt the same as him. Feelings like that don't just change. Something's going on. So, yes. I want you to forget this ever happened.'

She nodded, and he hugged her.

'How frigging hot would we have been together though?' he whispered into her ear and they both laughed.

'You thoroughly deserve your reputation, Siri,' she said softly with a smile as she stood up and walked away, not seeing Sirius lose his smile and close his eyes, an expression of loss spreading across his face.

Sirius and Krystal's friendship remained intact, but the relationship between Remus and Krystal was over, the next couple of weeks seeing changes in both of them. Remus withdrew from everyone except the Marauders, concentrating on his school work. Sirius had apologised for hitting him, but surprised him by telling him that he didn't believe his story; and that when he wanted to talk about what was really going on, he could come to him. Remus nearly blurted out everything, but held his tongue, trying to convince himself that this was the best thing for Krystal.

Krystal, on the other hand, became the life of the party. She joined James and Sirius in several pranks, copping a serve from Lily who was becoming concerned about her friend. She'd become very popular with the Seventh years, particularly the boys, and, to Lily's concern, showed up one night late reeking of Firewhiskey. She'd tried to talk to her, so had Sirius, but Krystal refused to listen, calling them party poopers.

Despite her upbeat outward appearance, Krystal felt cold all the time. She didn't feel any emotion, just a dark, pervading chill inside that frightened her when she let herself think about it. So she didn't think about it: preferring to hide under the frigid shadows that were protecting her from feeling hurt.

Sirius kept at Remus, still not believing him. It was obvious Remus wasn't himself: he looked tireder than usual, and his spirits were low.

"Why don't you go out with other girls then?' he asked, when Remus insisted he was over Krystal.

"Haven't thought about it, I suppose,' he replied, thinking that there wasn't anything he wanted less.

"Well, I've set up a date for you,' Sirius said, looking a Remus with a challenge in his eye. "April Jarman."

Remus frowned at him, recognising the name as one Krystal had mentioned over summer break.

"Isn't she in Hufflepuff?' he asked, picturing the giggly, blonde girl in their year.

"Yep,' said Sirius. "And I heard from a very reliable source that she likes you."

Remus' frown deepened. "I don't know Sirius,' he said. "I don't know her……" Sirius shook his head impatiently.

"So, you'll get to know her.I thought you said you were over Krystal? Well,' he said when Remus nodded. "Go out with April. Oh come on, Remus. You're not asking her to marry you, just to go to Hogsmeade with you before Easter. Or, ask her to go for a walk with you around the grounds for a 'talk'."

Remus shook his head, blushing a little. "I don't think so, Sirius….." he began.

"Why not?' his friend interrupted, slyly glancing at the brown haired boy. "Worried what Krystal will think?"

He saw Remus pause briefly, then ignore his question. 'Alright,' he said. "I'll go." Sirius grinned.

"Right, she'll meet you in the Entrance Hall on Saturday." Sirius watched as his friend nodded, hoping his plan worked. He wanted Remus to tell him why he had lied (and he was sure he had) and hoped that forcing him into an unwanted date would prompt his mate to confide in him.

Lily approached Krystal warily the next night as she was getting into bed. "Krys,' she began, as she slipped onto the bed.

"Mmm?' Krystal said, tired and not really wanting a gossip session. "I'm tired, Lils."

Lily nodded. "I just thought you'd want to know, I heard some Hufflepuff girls talking today….."

Krystal looked at her, bewildered. "And I care about this because…?"

Lily sighed. "Because they were talking about how Remus is going with April Jarman to Hogsmeade on Saturday."

She tried to say the words gently, but knew they had wounded her friend - no matter how much she tried to hide it.

Krystal felt like Lily had punched her, as she frowned and blinked her eyes. "Why would I want to know about that?" she asked, her voice hard.

"I know you still care for him, Krys. And I can see I've upset you,' Lily said, her eyes filling with compassion. Krystal shook her head.

"He can go to Hogsmeade with whoever he likes. Good luck to him!' she said, in a breezy tone.

She lay down and pulled her sheets up to her chin. "Night, Lily"

Lily said goodnight and got into her own bed, shooting Krystal a worried look before she turned off her lamp.

April smiled at Remus as she approached him in the courtyard that Saturday. He greeted her and they walked out of the Hogwarts grounds, to the village of Hogsmeade.

'Where do you want to go first?' Remus asked, feeling nervous as they stopped outside the sweet shop.

They debated for a moment, before opening the door to Honeydukes and going in. As April kept up her chatter, Remus found his thoughts slipping to Krystal, wondering what she was doing today. She hadn't been in the large group heading for the township; he'd been looking for her, not sure if he wanted to see her or not. What if she was going with someone else? He felt nauseous. He couldn't stand the thought of someone else being able to touch her; kiss her when he couldn't.

"Remus?" April had turned to him and was asking him if he wanted to buy anything.

"I'm fine, thanks,' he said, and she moved to the counter to pay for her sweets.

April was a nice enough girl - she didn't deserve for him to be thinking about someone else all day. 'It's not her fault she's not Krystal,' he thought miserably.

For the rest of the day, he made a concerted effort to keep his mind on April, being attentive to the pretty girl. His attention to her seemed to work. Before dinner, he walked her to the top of the stairs that led to the Hufflepuff Common room, stopping to say that he'd had a nice day. She smiled at him, moving closer.

"I had a really good time, Remus. I hope we can do something together again soon,' she said, now standing very close to him. He looked down at her, suddenly very nervous.

"Sure,' he said, his voice sounding a little cracked as she put her hand up to his cheek and drew his head towards her. Remus felt her soft lips pressing against his. His hands moved instinctively to her shoulders, as his eyes closed. He felt her lips part a little, and he copied her. She took the lead, pulling him closer and kissing him, deeper now, and he felt her tongue flick his lip. His breath caught and he slid his own tongue over her lip, hearing her moan.

After a minute, they pulled away from each other, their breathing a little more rapid now.

April smiled at him. 'There's more to you than meets the eye, isn't there?'

He grinned sheepishly, and she winked at him. 'Bye, Remus." She turned and walked down the stairs.

Remus felt a mixture of emotions, watching her go. He was a little stunned by the unexpected kiss - his first. But he also felt guilty, knowing he didn't feel the same about April as she did about him; that his reaction to her had been purely physical. He also felt a twinge of regret - he had imagined his first real kiss with Krystal. He frowned, telling himself to stop it, that it wasn't to be.

He walked slowly up to the Gryffindor common room, and saw Sirius waiting for him. A quick look around told him that Krystal wasn't here, before his friend dragged him up the stairs and into their room.

"Well,' he said, expectantly. Remus sighed.

"It was fine, Sirius. Nice,' he said, sitting on his bed.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Nice? Just nice? Did you make a move?" Remus shook his head.

"No. She did though,' he said.

"How was it?' Sirius asked, watching Remus carefully.

"Nice,' Remus said again.

"Nice again?' Sirius said, seeing his friends lack of enthusiasm.

Remus shrugged. "I don't know, Sirus. It was nice, but…..it just didn't feel right, you know."

Sirius looked at him, understanding in his eyes. "Because it wasn't Krys?' he said quietly, seeing the answer on his friends' face. 'Moony, what's going on? I know you still want Krys….'

Remus looked up at him, tears burning his eyes. "Yeah, I do,' he admitted. 'But it's over, Sirius. Just accept it. I've had to." He walked out of the room before Sirius could say another word.

Krystal was in the bathroom after dinner that night, when she heard the girls come in. She quickly moved to a cubicle and locked herself in, not wanting anyone to see her red eyes. She hadn't slept properly in ages, and her late nights and drinking with the Seventh Years wasn't helping her looks. She heard Remus' name mentioned, and paid attention.

It was April, telling her friends about her date earlier that day with Remus. "So, did he kiss you?' a girl asked.

"Well, I kissed him, but he kissed me back. He's a really good kisser. Very nice lips. It's always the quiet ones, isn't it?"

The girls all giggled and left the bathroom, leaving Krystal sitting in the stall. She felt a burning, stabbing pain, but quickly pushed it down.

'If he is getting on with things, then so should I,' she thought, as she pushed away all emotion, feeling only the numbing darkness that had been shielding her since Remus broke her heart.

It was late that night when the Marauders walked through the portrait hole; Sirius, Peter and James complaining about how unfair it was they had to scrub the toilets by hand on their latest detention. Remus laughed as they whinged; he had been studying in the library and had met the others in the hall. James heard a soft moan over near the fireplace as they walked past, and looked over.

"Shit,' he cursed under his breath. He turned and tried to stand between Remus and the couch, but it was too late.

Remus froze, his face turning white. He had seen what James had, and his mouth dropped open as he watched the couple making out on the couch. His face hardened when he saw Krystal, straddling the lap of the Seventh year, kiss the older boy hotly as his hands moved to her ass, pulling her hips down against his groin.

"Hey!' yelled Sirius, his face red with anger at seeing his friend getting groped in public. Krystal and the boy, Mark, broke apart startled; Krystal frowning when she saw Remus standing there.

"Do you mind? We're busy here,' said Mark, grinning as he pulled Krystal's head back towards him.

"Get the hell off him, Krys!' came Remus' angry demand.

"Mind your business, Remus,' came the slightly muffled reply, as Mark kissed her, his hands moving up under her shirt.

James lunged to try and grab Remus as his friend pushed past a stunned looking Sirius, nearly knocking him over. He strode over to the couch, and pulled Krystal roughly off the other boy.

"What the hell are you doing?' she said, angrily, trying to pull her arms out of his grasp. Sirius and James moved quickly when they saw Mark stand up and face Remus. Peter crept forward, watching them.

"She doesn't want you touching her, Lupin, so let her go,' he said, standing very close to Remus.

"You got her drunk? God, you really are an asshole,' Remus shouted at him, smelling Firewhiskey on Krystal, as Sirius forced himself between Remus and Mark.

"I'm not drunk Remus, and it's none of your damn business what, or who, I do,' she spat at him, wrenching one arm out of his grip.

"What do you think you're doing with this jerk, Krys?' he said, as James took hold of Mark's arm as it raised as if to hit Remus.

"What did it look like she was doing, Lupin?' Mark said, sarcastically, shaking off James' hand. "And we were about to go upstairs and do a whole lot more before you interrupted us, so if you don't mind…"

Remus let go of Krystal and, before Sirius could stop him, he punched Mark hard in the nose, hearing a crack as it broke.

'Shit!' came the reply from the boy, a sentiment echoed by James and Sirius, knowing how much trouble Remus could get into for punching another student. James dragged a pissed off Mark to the couch, telling him to stop being such a wimp as he pointed his wand at his nose to repair the break. Sirius kept a hand on Remus' chest, as his friend showed every sign of wanting to hit Mark again.

Krystal watched, horrified until the older boy's nose stopped bleeding and healed. Then she glared at Remus, and turned away from him, but he grabbed her arm and spun her around to look at him.

"Get off me,' she demanded, her voice suddenly very calm, controlled and cold as she glared at him, eyes silver.

"You're making a mistake, Krys. I won't let you do it,' he said determinedly, not letting go of her arm.

"No, Remus,' she said, steel in her voice now. "My mistake was believing that you felt the same about me as I did about you." He tried to interrupt, but she cut him off. "You don't have the right to butt into my life anymore. You didn't want me, so I've found someone who does."

"You know what he wants, Krys,' he hissed, putting his stricken face right up to hers. "You deserve better than that."

She frowned at him, her cold mask cracking a little, allowing her anger and hurt to show. "That's all you wanted as well, remember? I thought it would be you, but maybe he's the one, Remus. Maybe I want him to touch me, and kiss me until I feel something other than cold all the time.'

Her low voice broke as she spoke, and Remus' heart ached as he saw the anger and hurt on her face, knowing he'd made her feel this way; and the thought of Mark touching her made him want to punch the Seventh Year again. Neither of them noticed James, Peter and Sirius pulling Mark up the stairs, telling him they would show the Head Boy where to find his whiskey stash if he didn't leave.

"Krys, this isn't what I wanted,' he said desperately, trying to get through to her.

"This is exactly what you wanted, Remus,' she retorted. "I can't believe you're behaving like a jealous boyfriend - you don't have the right to be jealous.'

Remus opened his mouth again, but she pulled her arm away from him, trying to walk past him. "Krys,…"

"Piss off, Remus,' she snapped, walking over to the bottom of the stairs leading to the boys rooms.

He felt heat rush over him as his temper flared and, unthinkingly, he reacted to it; moving fast as he came up behind her, spun her around and pushed her up against the stone wall of the common room. Her hands came up in front of her to cast a hex, but he grabbed her wrists tightly and flattened them on the wall on either side of her head.

"Do you think I want this, that I like this?' he ground out, his voice harsh and distraught. She saw his anguished face and her own rage began to fade, leaving only hurt.

"This was your choice, Remus. You wanted sex, you didn't want me…."

He let out a short, angry bark of ironic laughter, and said, "I didn't want you? Krys, I have never wanted anything more than I want you. Seeing him with his hands on you…I want to kill him."

Her lip began to tremble, and her eyes filled with tears, but she was still defiant, still trying to hold onto her anger.

"You want me so much you dumped me before we even managed to get started?,' she said "You did this, Remus. Don't blame me for trying to get on with things."

"I don't have a choice, don't you understand? I can't let you be with me, Krys. I care about you too much to do that to you,' he cried, his own tears threatening to overflow now.

She looked at him, her anger dying, confusion in it's place.

"Do what to me?' she said, puzzled. "Remus?"

He'd let go of her hands, and turned away from her. She stayed leaning against the wall for a moment, then followed him.

"You can't say that then walk away,' she said, her voice rising again. "For God's sake, Remus, I don't understand what's going on. You let me think you want something more with me, then take it back? Who does that?"

"I do want more,' he said, sinking into the couch, his head in his hands. Krystal froze. "What?' she asked.

"I pretended I didn't care, Krys. I told you that so you would stay away from me, move on and find someone better, but I can't stand this. I can't stand seeing you with someone else.' His voice was muffled as he spoke, his head down. She moved slowly to the couch and sat next to him, watching him distrustfully.

"Why would you do that?' she asked. "What did I do, Remus? Why do you want me to stay away from you? "

"I didn't,' he cried in frustration, raising his head. "I don't, but Krys, you don't know what it's going to be like for you if we are together. Other people aren't like you; they won't accept me. If we're together, you won't be accepted either.'

His voice had risen as he tried to make her see why he'd done this. Krystal was watching him, the hurt slowly draining from her face, to be replaced with anger as she began to understand.

'We didn't think about this. We didn't think about what might happen in the future; how you could be hurt by being with someone like me. What about when your parents find out what I am? What would you do if they told you to choose? Could you stay with me knowing that they might never speak to you again? You might miss out on job opportunities because of me; you'll never be able to have children - animals like me don't breed."

There was a short, sharp crack, and Remus felt a stinging across his cheek as his head snapped to the side. Krystal had slapped him - damn hard, her face furious and white. "Don't you ever call yourself an animal again!' she hissed at him in a voice shaking with fury, as she stood up.

"So you did all this for me? To protect me?" She shook her head, her anger returning in full force as she glared down at him.

"Did it not once occur to you to ask me what I wanted? To ask if I hadn't already thought of all of those things?" Her eyes glowed silver as her breathing became rapid.

"How dare you make decisions about my life without even talking to me about it!' she ground out, her voice rising again.

He stood up, a red handprint standing out vividly against his pale face. "We thought it would be best. That it was best to end it before we got too serious."

"We?' she asked.

"My dad and I talked about it,' he began, but she interrupted him.

"This was your dad's idea?' she asked, eyes narrowing, as her voice became dangerously quiet.

"No. He told me how concerned he was, but this was my idea. I wanted to protect you from that; I don't want that life for you, Krys."

His voice cracked and his despair was obvious. His sadness dissolved her anger, and her face began to soften, lip trembling as she tried desperately not to break down.

"But it's my life, Remus,' she said quietly, the tears that she'd been holding at bay, now glistening as they pooled in the corners of her eyes, escaping down her cheeks.

"My life, my body, my heart.' She was whispering now, voice strained as she struggled with herself. "My choice."

He knew she was right, but it didn't mean what he said wasn't true. He told her that, and she sighed heavily, sitting back down on the couch, wiping at her face roughly.

"I'm not some idiot who's living in fairy land, Remus,' she said, looking at him through red rimmed eyes.

"When I first found out about you, I did a lot of reading. I learnt everything I could about lycanthropy; I wanted to be able to help you. Then, when I finally realised that I was attracted to you; that I wanted more than a friendship with you, I thought about all those things and whether I would be able to handle it all.'

She shook her head, eyes pained. 'I know that we both will be treated badly by most of the wizarding world. I know that discrimination will make it almost impossible for you to get a good job, and that your condition could make it hard for me just by association. I know that some of my family won't understand. I don't give a damn about most of them, but I knew if mum and dad couldn't handle it……'

She looked at him. 'Which is why I told my parents about you at Christmas.'

Remus looked at her, surprised. She'd never told him her parents knew about him.

'I'm sorry I didn't ask you first, but I wanted to see their reaction,' Krystal said, seeing his surprise. 'I won't say they weren't concerned, but they've seen who you really are, and they will learn to accept the rest. They are the only ones I care about: the rest can go to hell if they can't deal with it. And I know that lycanthropy may be hereditary - that if we stayed together and wanted children, it could be passed on." She sighed.

'I do want children, Remus. One day. I won't pretend this was an simple choice for me, but as much as I want children, I want you more and if that is the way it has to be….' She shrugged. 'I'll be a great godmother to Lily's kids.'

He sat down. Looking at her, he felt a bit stunned. He'd never know that she'd learnt so much about his condition; that she had considered of all this and still wanted to be with him.

"I know all of it Remus, and I don't care. I'm not saying that I think it will be easy, but that I'm willing to try. I wanted to try."

She paused and took a deep breath. "But you didn't have enough faith in me to talk about this."

Remus slid along the couch quickly, reaching out for her hand, gripping it tightly. "That's not true. Krys, I thought I was protecting you. I wanted something better for you. You deserve something better than that; better than me."

"But I wanted you,' she said softly, raising her hand to his face.

"More than you wanted me, I guess."

She dropped her hand from his cheek, turning away but he put both his hands up to cup her face now.

He shook his head, saying, "I want you, Krys. I've wanted you from the first day I met you. I've had a crush on you for years, but it's different now." He had started now, and he had to tell her everything.

"It's not a crush anymore. It's so much stronger than that now. When all that stuff happened with Severus, all I wanted to do was be with you; to feel you holding me.'

He saw her trying hard not to cry and continued. 'I heal quicker each month when you're with me; I'm stronger when I'm with you.'

His lips were shaking now and he clenched his jaw to try and stop the trembling, blinking in an attempt to stop the tears rolling down his face. "I've been miserable without you Krys. I hate that I did this to you, but I did it because I care about you - so much. I want you to be happy.'

Krystal was shaking as much as he was, tears stinging her eyes. "But you make me happy,' she said softly, looking up at him.

The look in her eyes nearly broke his heart. 'You really hurt me,' she told him, her voice breaking.

"I know." He slid closer to her, his hands moving around to the back of her head. 'I'm so sorry, Krys. I really did think I was doing the best thing for you."

She knew he was telling the truth; he was an awful liar. He was staring at her, waiting for her to say something, anything.

She stook up abruptly. "I can't do this. Not now. I don't feel well,' she said, closing her eyes.

Remus stood more slowly, watching as her face drained of what little colour it had.

'Krys?' he said, frowning. She shook her head and pushed past him, running up the stairs to the girls rooms.

Remus sank back down to the couch, unsure whether it was the Firewhiskey or the confrontation that had made Krystal ill, but he knew that she wouldn't be back down tonight. He leant forward and put his head in his hands, pulling slightly at his hair. "What a mess,' he muttered to himself.

"What?' a voice said, and looking up, he saw Sirius, his face concerned.

"Did you hear all that?' he asked, flopping back onto the cushions.

His friend nodded, admitting, "Most of it." He sat next to Remus. "Are you alright?' he asked.

When Remus nodded, he said, "And is Krystal alright?"

Remus shook his head. "I don't know. God!" He stood up, beginning to pace. "I am such an idiot. I should have talked to her about this; I should have had more faith in her." Sirius watched him, 'I'm not going to argue with you, Remus,' he said. "You should have asked her what she wanted, but you were thinking about her when you did this. That's got to count for something."

Remus looked at him, a tear escaping down his cheek. 'I hope so, Sirius.'


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks The Fleaks and MoonNightLover for reviews. Quick updates of this section for you - HUGS!**

** I know you people are reading...Please review. PLEASE! (pulling hair out)**

**We delve a little more into Krystal's relationship with Dumbledore and we learn a little more about her unusual powers (you didn't think we were just going to skim over them, did you?)**

**Warning: Mentions of SoloM and F in this and some sexual content (sorry, not a huge amount but I think you'll be happy:)**

Chapter Twelve

Lily put her hand on Remus' shoulder, and smiled at him when he turned. They were in the common room on Sunday morning. Remus had slept on and off on the couch through the night, staring into the fire whenever he woke, praying that Krystal would see he was trying to protect her and give him another chance.

"Is Krys alright?' he asked, as Lily moved around the couch to sit next to him.

She frowned slightly as she said, "Krystal and I talked last night, Remus. I've never seen her like she has been the last few weeks. She was so self destructive, and cold. This thing between the two of you turned her into someone that she didn't recognise; someone she didn't like. It's going to take her a little while to get her head around everything.

'She'll forgive you, you know,' she added, when she saw his face fall. 'She really cares about you, Remus, she would forgive you just about anything. But I think you need to understand: this has really shaken her. It's not just that you hurt her, and didn't have faith in her; this is about her whole identity. She saw a side to herself that she didn't know existed; and it scared her."

He nodded, knowing how hard it was to accept the darkness in yourself. "Lily, I need to see her. Please?' he pleaded, when she started to refuse.

"I'm sorry, Remus, but no. Don't push her. She'll come and find you when she's ready. Until then, I think it's best if you gave her some space."

Lily reached out to the tormented teenager, taking his hand. "Sirius told me you finally told her how you feel about her,' she said quietly.

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "You were an idiot, but she's lucky to have you and she knows it. Krys isn't good at talking about her feelings, Remus. Especially when she's been hurt. Just give her a little time, ok"

Krystal waited until everyone was at breakfast, then slipped out of the common room, making her way to the Headmaster's office. Albus made sure he gave her the new password each time he changed it, so she walked up the stairs, knocking lightly on his study door. She heard his voice call out, "Enter,' and she walked in.

"Krystal,' he said, not seeming all that surprised to see her. "I've been wondering if you would be coming to see me soon. Sit down. Let's talk."

She told him all about the last few weeks, about the cold, hard, dead feeling that took over her. "I didn't feel like myself, Albus,' she said. "I was mean, and bitter and I was so cold. I didn't know I was capable of feeling that way." Dumbledore had watched her closely as she spoke, his fingers steepled under his chin.

"We all have both a dark and light side, Krystal. It is in time of intense stress that we find out what we are really capable of."

Krystal stared at him, then said carefully, "Is this who I really am?"

Albus didn't smile; didn't rush to reassure her. Instead he leaned forward, saying, "Krystal, you perform stronger than usual magic when you are feeling emotional, don't you? Even unintentionally?"

She nodded, frowning as he rose and walked around his desk to sit in the chair next to her. 'You dislike to show people you are hurting? That you are in pain?'

Her frown deepened, but he continued. 'Never mind. I have seen that side of you myself,' he said. 'Even as a child, you hid your tears; your emotions. You've always had this fear of seeming weak.'

Leaning forward in his chair, he spoke in an intense tone. "Krystal, you could have immense power. More than I think any of us realised at first. It is this gift that makes your feelings stronger than others; they can consume you; alter you. This can enhance your feelings of joy and happiness, but also your anger and hurt. It can be a wonderful gift.'

He paused and looked at her with concerned eyes.

'But with this power comes great responsibility to use it wisely,' he said, urgently. "I know you have wondered why your parents and I do not want you to reveal your powers to anyone. There are those who would seek to use you, to meet their own purposes. You must be careful, Krystal. You must be prepared to defend yourself against those who wish you harm because of their jealousy or fear."

She felt confused and scared. 'I don't understand,' she said, panic in her voice. 'Who would want to hurt me? Why….' but he stopped her.

'Krystal,' he began, then paused, looking at her with worried eyes. He seemed to struggle with himself for a moment, before making a decision.

'Do not dwell on this; not yet. But there is something I need you to think about. I'm concerned that you allow your anger and fear to take you over; that you use it to call upon the darkness within you; to shield you from feeling pain as you have done over these last weeks. You are not controlling it like this, Krystal. It controls you. You must try to fight this.'

"I did!' she said, emphatically, standing up. "I did try…."

"Did you really?' he said, his blue eyes, identical to her own, searching her face. "Did you try to talk to Remus or any of your other friends? Did you acknowledge your hurt; your anger? Or did you allow the cold to envelop you, to protect you, take away your pain?"

He could see the answer on her face, as she sank back into the chair.

"Krystal, you are capable of great things, but, if you allow the darkness that exists inside you take over, you could also do terrible things. I know it's hard, but you must allow yourself to feel that pain, and learn how to accept it; work through it, not act out to avoid it. Feeling hurt or sad is not a sign of weakness, Krystal. Being able to feel is what makes you human. Do not let the shadows take hold of your heart; to make you less of a human." He saw the fear in her eyes and the trembling lip.

"You know, the flip side of all of this, Krystal, is that you are also capable of deep love, incredible passion and joy, extraordinary empathy….' He paused, recalling why she'd come to his office. "And the ability to forgive the mistakes of those you love and who love you."

He reached out and lifted her chin with a finger, smiling at her. "And the person that is capable of feeling that, of making others feel that way about her: that, my love, is who you really are."

After leaving Dumbledore's office, Krystal walked down to the lake. She needed to think. She sat, leaning against a tree, breathing deeply. She could feel the rough bark on her back, and listened to the sounds of the water lapping against the bank, the leaves rustling overhead, the call of birds nesting in the trees.

'What do I do?' she asked herself, picking at the grass under her. She missed Remus so much. The way he would laugh, and the sound of his voice, the way he touched her. But he'd hurt her - more than she'd ever been hurt before. It wasn't a pain she ever wanted to feel again. How could Albus ask her to open herself to that kind of hurt?

She felt tears stinging her eyes and closed them tightly.

'Help me,' she whispered out loud, for the first time in her life wanting someone to tell her what to do.

The sound of footsteps broke into her solitude. Opening her eyes, she saw Remus looking down at her.

"Tell me to go, and I will,' he said quietly, crouching down beside her.

Krystal looked at his weary face and felt something other than despair for the first time in what felt like ages. Life had sent her what it knew she needed.

"Stay,' she said, reaching out for his hand. He let her take it, closing his fingers over hers. She saw him bite his lip, looking down at the ground.

"Krys, I'm sorry..." he began, but she shook her head.

"Not now, ok?' she said, as he looked up at her. "Just sit with me?"

His mouth turned up, and he nodded, sitting down next to her, her hand still in his.

They sat there, the rest of the world fading away. The silence between them was comfortable, as it is with true friends. There was no need for words - they could come later. They were both content for the moment; just to be together. It was nearly an hour later that Krystal spoke.

'I'm hungry,' she said, and watched as Remus laughed. He stood up, and held out his hand to her.

'So am I,' he replied with a smile, and he pulled her to her feet. He didn't release her hand as they made their way back to the castle for lunch, not wanting to let her go.

It was now that Krystal finally spoke about the problem that lay between them. "We need to be friends again."

Remus halted, his hand slipping out of hers as she kept moving. He looked at her, and she stopped.

"Before anything else, you're my best friend, Remus,' she said, turning to him. "I want to get that back the way it was before. I need to have my friend back before anything else can happen between us."

She smiled at him, and he felt his heart leap in his chest.

"Then, you do want to try? You still want to be with me?' he asked, feeling weak with relief. She looked at him and her eyes clouded for a moment.

"I don't know who I turned into these last few weeks, Remus, but I didn't like her. She was cold; soulless,' she said darkly, then looked up at him, her face breaking into a smile.

'I like who I am with you, Remus. I'm calmer, more settled. I feel peaceful when you're with me. I'm a better person when you're with me.'

They stared at each other for a few moments, Remus wanting to take her in his arms and kiss her.

"Friends again?' she asked, as if she had read his mind, which she may very well have.

"Friends,' he agreed, holding out his hand.

She grinned and took it, letting out a little gasp when he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off the ground, spinning around.

She laughed, and as he put her down, she felt her body slide against his, lighting a fire inside her. He was smiling down at her, and put his hand to her face, stroking across her cheek with his thumb.

"How am I supposed to think of you as just a friend now? No other friend has ever had this effect on me,' he said, holding her tight against him. She could feel the effect he was alluding to against her hip, and smiled.

"Just pretend I'm James,' she suggested cheekily. Remus smiled and lowered his head towards her face, leaning his forehead against hers.

"And have I ever told you just how attractive I find James?' he said, looking at her lips.

"Hmmm. Better make that Peter then,' she retorted, seeing him laugh as he lifted his head.

Her smile disappeared as he stared at her. 'I've never felt like this before, Krys,' he said softly. Krystal bit her lip, her eyes drifting down to his mouth.

'Neither have I,' she said.

He looked at her for a few moments, seeming to struggle with himself.

'I really want to kiss you, Krys,' he whispered.

She shivered, and felt a wave of desire rush through her. 'I really want you to kiss me,' she admitted, breathlessly.

They stayed like that for a second, then Remus' stomach growled. Krystal laughed, and Remus looked at her apologetically.

'I guess that's a sign that we should go inside, huh?' he said with a grin. She nodded and he took her hand, leading her up to the castle.

They talked the rest of the day and into the night, stretched out on the couch in the common room, moving only to have dinner. Their friends looked happy to see them together, and stayed pretty much out of their way. Remus waited until they were alone in the room, before asking the question that had been burning at him.

''You and Mark…..did you….?' He had trouble getting the words out; an image of Krystal and Mark entwined streaked through his mind.

"No,' she said firmly, sitting up and putting her hand on his leg. "Nothing happened - nothing you didn't see anyway,' she corrected, feeling a blush as she thought about how that must have looked. At least she hadn't had to see him kissing April. As she thought of the Hufflepuff girl, she felt like a knife had twisted in her heart.

"You know I went on a date with April Jarman?' he said, his voice low. She nodded, thinking that he had read her mind.

"She kissed me, and I guess I kissed her back,' he confessed, wishing now that it had never happened.

"I know,' Krystal said, one corner of her mouth turning up at the surprise on his face.

"I overheard her telling her friends in the bathroom,' she said, shrugging. "I guess that's why I agreed to go out with Mark…you'd moved on and I thought I should try to as well. You would have been happy - everything she said was complimentary. Apparently, you're a good kisser - nice lips, I think she said."

He looked horrified, and she couldn't help giggling, amused by his growing resemblance to a tomato. He appeared to think for a second, before asking, "She said I was a good kisser?"

Krystal frowned, and threw a cushion at him. "If you want confirmation, why don't you go and ask her,' she said, falling back against the arm of the chair, crossing her arms and pouting a little. Remus grinned and threw the cushion back, following it so he was leaning over her, straddling her legs, his arms either side of her.

"Are you sulking?' he asked, with a mischievous smile.

"No,' she said grumpily, refusing to look at him.

"Krys, are you jealous?' he said in a sing song voice, and she smacked him in the chest, smiling at him.

"Yes. But as much as I want to be, I can't be pissed about you kissing her, not when I kissed Mark,' she said in a resigned voice, looking down.

His hand touched her face, turning it back to look at him. "Do you know what I thought when she kissed me?' he said softly. "I thought how wrong it felt; because I had wanted to have my first proper kiss with you."

She stared at him, her eyes wide. "Really?' she asked in a whisper.

He nodded, head dropping low. 'I'd been imagining kissing you for years. But I've got no one to blame but myself for it not happening the way I'd hoped.'

"When Mark was kissing me,' she whispered, so softly he almost couldn't hear her, 'I was imagining it was you."

Remus felt heat sweep through his body, and he looked down at her. He could feel her heart racing against his chest, her breathing as rapid as his was. Her eyes flicked to his lips, and he lowered his head, forgetting their friendship pact; forgetting everything except how very much he wanted to kiss her. So it seems, did she; her face rising to meet his, their mouths almost joined when there was a loud POP next to them.

They jumped, turning to see a house elf staring at them. It backed away, bowing and apologising. Remus shook his head, looking back down at Krystal with a frustrated smile.

"Shit! We are always getting interrupted,' he said, running his finger along her jaw. She grabbed his hand and stopped him.

"That was perfect timing, I think,' she reminded him gently.

He sighed loudly. "I know, I know,' he said crankily. He bought her hand to his mouth and kissed it.

"Exactly how long do you think it will be until our friendship is back on track?' he asked, desire obvious in his eyes. "Because I am going to try really hard to stick to our agreement, Krys, but I want you so much it hurts and now I know you feel the same, I'm having trouble controlling myself."

Feeling warmth between her thighs at his words, she knew she was having some trouble herself. "You're not the only one, Remus. But I want to do this; just for a little while. I promise, it won't be long; I don't know how much longer I can hold out either."

He stared at her for a second then closed his eyes tight. "God, Krys. Do you know what you do to me?' he ground out, allowing his body to lean into hers as he lay his head on her shoulder, breathing hard.

"Knowing that you're just as turned on as I am, really does not help my problem,' he groaned into the crook of her neck, sending a shiver down her spine as did the hardness she felt against her thigh.

She took a deep breath and pushed at him until he slid off of her, knowing if he stayed this close to her for one more second she would give in and she didn't want to rush into this. 'Bedtime,' she said firmly. He grinned and she smacked him on the arm. 'Separate beds, Remus. Jeez.'

She stood up and put out her hands, helping him up and leading him over to the staircases leading to their rooms. Kissing him quickly on the cheek, they said goodnight, and made their separate ways to their rooms, both of them wasting no time once there in relieving their throbbing bodies.

"I don't know how much longer I can do this,' Remus growled, throwing himself on his bed a couple of days later. Sirius grinned, swinging his legs off his own bed and moving to sit opposite his friend.

"Still sticking to the friendship only thing?' Sirius said, sympathetically. Remus nodded, looking at his friend.

"I never thought I'd say this,' he said, his voice low. "But I'm getting sick of jerking off." Sirius laughed, saying, "Well, I hate to tell you this mate, but if you think you're frustrated now, wait until you get a little taste of what's waiting for you. You'll be so fucking hot, you'll look back on these days with fondness."

Remus looked at him sharply. Was he talking about Krystal, or about girls in general? He opened his mouth to ask him, but was interrupted as he heard James and Peter snigger from across the room.

They joined him and Sirius on Remus' bed. "Frustrated, Moony?' laughed James, stretching out across Remus' bed.

"Just a bit,' he said, smiling now. "And we haven't even kissed properly yet."

"Better make sure you've got some tissues handy when you do, Moony,' said Peter, grinning. "Sounds like a kiss might be a little too much for you to stand."

The others laughed, and Peter caught the pillow Remus threw before it hit him in his face.

"How much longer is this friends only deal going to last?' asked James.

Remus smiled broadly. "Hopefully not too much longer. It's getting as hard for her as it is for me,' he said, smacking Sirius when he snorted with laughter over his use of the word 'hard'.

"I hope it's worth the RSI you're getting in your wrist,' said Peter, laughing along with Sirius.

"She's worth it,' said Remus, his face softening as he thought of Krystal.

"Ooooh, he's got it bad!' screeched Sirius, jumping off the bed and moving quickly to the bathroom. Peter also got up, going back to his homework.

James remained on the bed, saying, "Ignore them Remus. They don't understand that some things are worth waiting for." Remus looked over at James, seeing a far away look in his eyes.

"How are things going with Lily?' Remus asked. James looked at him, his face flushing. "I think she might be coming around,' he said quietly. "We've started spending time together, more now you're keeping Krystal so occupied. It could happen." James got up to help Peter, and Remus smiled, happy for his friend.

"So, you'll all come?' Sirius said, looking around at his friends a few days later. James looked concerned. "Sirus, if they find out…"

"Who cares?' Sirius said, shrugging. "Everyone in?" He looked around and was happy to see nods all around. "Great!' he said, standing up. "See you all tomorrow night." He jumped up from the breakfast table, and bounced away.

James shook his head. "His parents will kill him if they find out,' he said, frowning.

Easter holidays were beginning today, and Sirius had just invited his friends to an overnight stay at his house. His parents were going away for a weekend house party. "Sucking up to Ministry types,' said Sirius, grimacing. "There is no way they'll miss it. And Regulus is staying with a friend these holidays. I'll 'accidentally' lock Kreacher in the cellar and I'll have the house to myself."

Remus was looking forward to the party. It was a chance to spend some time with Krystal over the holidays without being under the watchful eye of parents. Krystal had told her parents she would be going to the party from Remus' house, telling him to invite her over.

"Your father and I need to have a chat,' she said, her jaw tense.

"Krystal, dad isn't someone you can yell at…" he warned, having seen Krystal's rage at his father's interference.

"I won't yell,' she said, glaring at him. "But I think we need to do this."

They did go to Remus' house, and Krystal did insist on speaking to his father alone. He didn't know what was said, but when they emerged from his father's study, they were smiling. Later that afternoon, as Krystal was in the shower, he approached his dad, asking how everything went.

"I owe you an apology, Remus,' said Mr Lupin, surprising his son. "She's a damn smart girl, and obviously she knows what she wants. For every argument I came up with, she had an answer all ready to go."

He smiled and clapped his son on the shoulder. "Gorgeous, intelligent, and 'crazy about you' - her words. You're very lucky, Remus. Not everyone finds someone like that. Make sure you look after her."

Remus was a little stunned by his father's turn around. "Um, thanks dad,' he stammered, pleased by his father's blessing and amazed by Krystal's powers of persuasion.

"Oh, and son,' his father said, coming closer to speak quietly. "You did say you know all the appropriate spells…." Remus blushed and nodded.

"We're not thinking about that just yet, though,' he said, backing away.

His father laughed. "You'll be of age in a month or so, Remus, and Krystal is a very attractive young lady. Don't tell me you haven't been thinking about it."

He walked over to the sink chuckling, leaving Remus to run upstairs to get ready for the party.

Krystal was waiting for him in the living room after he'd finished showering and changing, talking to his parents. She turned as he entered and he felt a squeezing sensation in his chest as he looked at her. Her dark hair was loose, hanging softly around her face. Her lips were shiny, as if she had gloss on them, and she was smiling at him. He managed to tear his eyes away from them to look at the rest of her. She was wearing a short dress, cut a little low in the front revealing a bit of cleavage and it came to just above her knee, showing off her legs. He was lost for words; he couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Remus,' he heard an amused voice say. He blinked several times and looked over to see his father grinning and his mother staring at him, shaking her head.

"You look nice, Krys,' he said somewhat pathetically. His father snorted, and his mother elbowed him in the ribs.

"Thanks,' she said softly, and he noticed her eyes wandering over him as her face flushed. 'So do you.'

'Well, you two should get going,' his father said hastily, throwing some Floo Powder into the fire place. Green flames exploded, and Krystal waved to his parents as she stepped into them and disappeared. Remus followed, seeing his father's grinning face as he travelled to Sirius' house.

Mrs Lupin looked at her still grinning husband. 'You have talked to him about using Contraceptive spells, haven't you?' she said with a frown.

'I have been assured he knows them, and that they aren't thinking about sex just yet,' he replied.

Mrs Lupin raised an eyebrow. 'Mmm,' she said, looking back at the fireplace. 'I recognise that look he gave her. It's the same one you used to give me when we first started dating. We weren't thinking about sex either, but it seemed to happen anyway.'

'They are both sensible young adults; Remus is almost of age,' he said, putting an arm around her. 'He knows he has more reasons than others to be very careful. We have to trust them.' He grinned. 'Now, how did that look go again?'

Remus shot out onto the floor, almost losing his balance. He saw Krystal and Sirus laughing at him, Sirus helping Krystal to brush the soot off her clothes. Remus brushed himself off, glaring at Sirius as his hand snuck down to Krystal's butt. He heard talking from another room and they followed the noise, seeing James, Peter, Lily, Alice, Mary and Frank, amongst the crowd of about twenty students, all lounging around on the chairs, drinking Butterbeer. Music was playing and Sirius turned it up, the party well and truly starting.

By midnight, the Firewhiskey was out in the middle of the circle, shot glasses in front of all of them.

"What's a body shot?' asked Mary, giggling. Sirius shook his head in disbelief.

"You people haven't lived!' he declared, showing them exactly what a body shot was, using Mary's hand as a prop. He salted her hand, and asked her to hold the lemon between her teeth.

"You lick off the salt,' he said, demonstrating, and making Mary giggle. "Then the shot." He downed it quickly, then leaned forward and took the lemon out of Mary's mouth, using his own mouth; his lips lingering a moment longer than necessary. 'And that's a body shot,' he said, sucking the lemon and throwing the rind in the middle of the circle.

The other's were enthusiastic, and there was a flurry as several couples reached for the lemon slices. Remus grabbed Krystal and led her to a nearby chair, sitting down and pulling her onto his lap. She giggled and put her arm around him, leaning into his chest. Remus kissed the inside of her wrist, running his tongue over her skin. He heard her moan softly and looked up at her.

'The salt won't stick if I don't wet your skin,' he explained with a grin.

She narrowed her eyes at him. 'Just remember it's my turn next,' she said, slightly threateningly.

He grinned and salted her inside wrist, feeling her pulse race through the delicate skin there. He watched her face as he licked it off, hearing her soft curse when his tongue flicked her skin again. He nearly forgot the shot in his eagerness to suck the lemon that she held between her teeth. Their lips touched as he bit down on the lemon, and sucked it into his mouth. Licking his lips, he threw the rind into the bowl in the middle of the room. As he turned, he saw Sirius, lemon forgotten, kissing Mary, pushing her back on to the couch, his hand straying up to her breast. Feeling a little breathless, he turned back to see Krystal staring at him, mischievously.

"My turn?' said Krystal, putting a slice of lemon between his lips. She grinned as she told him to tip his head so she could take her shot off his neck.

'I've been fantasising about this spot on your neck…' she said, her words drifting off as she put a little whiskey on his hot skin and poured salt on it. He watched her as she lowered her head, then took the lemon out of his mouth.

"Krys?" She looked at him. "I really think I might explode if we keep this friends only thing up. Promise me you'll tell me the second you're ready to move….."

She smiled, and interrupted him, saying, 'I'm ready."

He shuddered when he felt her tongue run over his skin, then after her shot, she leaned forwards to suck on the lemon he'd put back in his mouth, her lips brushing over his again. He moaned at the touch, feeling his pants getting tighter.

'Remus,' Sirius called, now sitting up with a dazed looking Mary sitting next to him. 'We're playing Truth and Dare, come on!"

'Nope,' called Krystal, getting to her feet and pulling Remus to his. "Come and dance with me.'

Remus shrugged at Sirius, saying, 'She's hotter than you, Pads. Sorry.'

A slow song was playing, and couples swayed together, Krystal and Remus grinning at the sight of Lily and James dancing together. Remus felt Krystal's hands come up around his shoulders and he slid his around her waist, holding her tight to him as they began to sway to the music.

Remus could feel Krystal's breath on his throat, and he felt her shiver when he buried his face into the side of her neck, kissing the skin there.

"I love how your hair smells,' he said, into her ear, running his hands up her back to feel the texture of it, letting it fall through his fingers like rain. "Is it coconut?"

She nodded, and moved her face to his, kissing his jaw lightly. "Whatever you use after you shave is slowly driving me out of my mind,' she whispered, pressing her face into his neck near his pulse.

"Alright. That's it. I can't stand this anymore, Krys,' he groaned, moving away from her. "Come on."

He took her hand and led her away from the party, up the stairs to the room he was supposed to be sharing with James tonight. He'd spoken to James, and he'd agreed to bunk in with Sirius if things went well for Remus.

Entering the room, he began to feel nervous; he'd been waiting for their relationship to change for a long time, but now it was upon them, he was apprehensive. Krystal threw herself down on his bed, kicking her shoes off, and yawning a bit.

"Tired?' he asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed, watching her stretch out. "Mmm, maybe a little,' she said. "I'm still catching up, I think."

She looked at him, a crease between her brows. "Are James and Lily together?' she asked.

"I don't think so, not yet,' he said, sliding off his shoes and swinging his legs up onto the bed, laying on his back next to her and reaching for her hand.

They lay side by side, holding hands, speculating about James and Lily, and giggling about Mary and Sirius. Remus felt his nervousness leaving him as they talked, leaving only his desire to take the step needed to change their relationship.

Remus rolled onto his side, watching her as she talked. She looked over at him when he moved; her chatter fading, as he leant over and kissed her lightly, his lips gently brushing over hers. A shiver shot through him, and as he pulled away, he saw her take a shaky breath. He looked at her, and she smiled at him.

"What took you so long?' she said softly.

He grinned, leaning back towards her, his lips meeting hers more firmly this time. His hands raised to cup her face, his thumbs stroking across her skin. He could feel her hands run up his chest coming to rest on his shoulders. His mouth opened a little and Krystal copied him, both of them gently exploring each other's lips, tasting each other, revelling in this moment that they had been wanting for so long.

Soon, their kiss deepened, Krystal hearing a moan in Remus' chest, as her tongue flicked over his lip, and it was echoed in her, as she felt his enter her mouth. Remus moved, his arms going under her to pull her closer to him, his upper body laying across hers. Krystal's hands ran through his hair, holding him to her as they kissed.

Their hands began to roam as their kiss became hotter, needier. Krystal felt Remus' hand brush her breast as it moved down her body, moaning as she arched up into his touch. He moved it back, gently cupping the soft flesh as his mouth left hers, kissing her neck and throat. Her hands moved down, rubbing across his buttocks as she pulled the back of his shirt out of his pants, running her hands under it, along his skin. Heat shot through him at her touch, and he sucked the skin of her neck into his mouth, hearing her soft cry and feeling her press harder against him.

She pushed at him and, when he lifted his chest and shoulders away from her, she tugged his shirt up over his head, dropping it off the side of the bed. He watched as she let her eyes wander down his chest, bringing her hands up to touch him, running her fingers over his scars. She lifted her head off the bed, and kissed a particularly large scar, touching her tongue to it lightly. Remus let out a groan, and let himself drop back against her, kissing her frantically, feeling her hands move around to his back.

He shifted his hand back to her breast and ran his thumb over the hard peak he felt under his palm. Krystal made a small sound into his mouth, and he did it again, feeling her hips rising against him. Frustrated by the clothing between them, he raised his head again.

"Krys,' he said, his voice rough with need. "How do I get this thing off?"

She smiled, and said hoarsely, 'Let me up." He moved off her, and she stood up, reaching around to her back.

"No,' Remus said, standing quickly. He turned her around and saw the zip, pulling it down, bending slightly to kiss the area between her shoulder blades, just above her bra. The dress fell to the ground, Krystal turning back to him, dressed only in her underwear now. Her face was flushed, and he could see the desire in her eyes, but something else too. Uncertainty.

"Krys?' he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "If you want to stop, just tell me, and I will." She sighed and leant into him, her head on his chest.

"I don't know,' she mumbled against his skin, sending a spark straight to his groin. "I want to, I really want to, Remus. It just….."

"It feels too fast?' he said, frustrated, but also a tiny bit relieved. She nodded and he took her head in his hands, raising it so she was looking at him.

"I think so too,' he said, smiling at her look of surprise. "Our bodies are ready; but maybe our heads aren't there yet."

Krystal smiled up at him, and stood on her toes, kissing him, allowing it to linger, and grow until they parted, panting.

"Soon, I swear,' she said, kissing his chest and neck, drawing a moan from him. Remus took her arms firmly and held her away from him.

"If we are going to stop, we need to stop now,' he said, feeling his balls tighten and knowing he was not far from the point of no return.

Krystal smiled ruefully, and bent to pick up her dress, giving him a sneak peek of her breasts as she did. He dropped to sit on the bed, closing his eyes, and keeping them closed until he felt her wrap her arms around his neck.

"I'll go back to my room,' she said, kissing the top of his head.

"You don't have to….' he argued, but she smiled.

"I think that we both need some, um, alone time right now,' she said, delicately, amused at his blush. "Don't be shy, Remus,' she teased, as he lowered his head to rest against her belly. "We may not be ready for sex, but that doesn't mean we have to be frustrated all night. You _have_ done it before, right? Should I get Sirius to come and show you what to do?"

He laughed softly, but was distracted. His senses were heightened, as the full moon was approaching, and he could smell her desire - it was intoxicating and was making it hard for him to breathe. He raised his face to her, and she lowered hers, her hair falling over their faces as they kissed.

'Ok, she said loudly, breaking the kiss and moving away quickly. 'I really do need to leave you now. I just….I think I might pass out if I don't deal with this.'

He felt his body jerk at the thought of her touching herself. 'Fuck!' Remus muttered, hearing her laugh as she left the room.

Remus threw himself back onto the bed. He lay there for a few moments, then grabbed his wand off the side table, locking the door with a swish. Quickly unbuckling his pants, he didn't bother pulling them off, knowing this wouldn't take long. He shoved his hand into his underwear, grasping himself and stroking quickly. He was groaning less than a minute later, and reaching for his wand again to clean himself up.

Krystal also didn't need long to send her aching body over the edge, her hips rising sharply off the bed as she felt the spasms rip through her. She lay panting there for several minutes, before she heard a soft knock on the door. Unlocking it quickly, she opened it, thinking it was Lily wanting to come to bed.

It was Remus, smiling mischievously at her. "Am I too early? Are you done?' he asked, getting a laugh and a smack across the chest from Krystal.

"Gee, you must have been fast,' she retorted, closing the door behind him. "Maybe it's a good thing we didn't go all the way tonight. It might have been over a bit too quickly…"

She let out a yelp as he grabbed her around the hips, lifting her up against him, then fell onto the bed with her landing on top of him. Laughing, they kissed, the frustration and intensity of their previous kisses gone, leaving them both thinking just how right this felt.

"Can I stay?' Remus asked, once they came up for air. "I'm not about to explode anymore."

She nodded, and their lips met again. Remus' hands moved to her butt, cupping each cheek.

"Do you know how long I've wanted to get my hands on your ass?' he asked, tearing his lips away from her.

She laughed and they rolled on the bed, kissing and cuddling until sleep overtook them.


	13. Chapter 13

**They're finally together and fooling around this chapter. Actual sex coming very soon - hopefully this will keep you happy till then.**

Chapter Thirteen

"So, it didn't happen?' Sirius said, frowning. Remus lay back on his bed, looking at his friend who was still in his pyjamas and sitting on his bed. It was their first morning back at Hogwarts after the holidays and they had slept in, having a free period first thing.

"No, IT didn't, but we've…. made a start,' Remus said with a grin. "This isn't a casual thing, Pads,' he said, using his bemused friends' recently acquired nickname. "Krys is special. I care about her. I want it to be perfect. Fumbling behind trees and trying to catch moments alone without our parents is not how I want it to happen. We're going to take our time."

Sirius shrugged, saying, "As long as you're both happy." He made to get off the bed, but Remus sat up.

"Hang on,' he said, hurriedly. Sirius sat back down, looking at the now blushing, brown haired teenager.

Remus raised his wand, and waved it. The curtains whipped around on the rails, hiding them from view. No one else was in the room, James mysteriously absent and Peter in class, but Remus wasn't taking any chances, casting a Silencing Spell around them too.

"This must be serious, Moony,' said Sirius, grinning, having his suspicions about what Remus wanted to talk to him about.

Remus let out a quick breath, saying, "You said I could talk to you about, you know….things when I needed to."

"Remus, how are you going to do it if you can't say it,' grinned Sirius, stretching out on his friend's bed.

"I'm not doing it with you, I'm better with Krys,' Remus muttered, glaring at the dark haired boy, who laughed loudly.

"What do you want to know, Moony?' he asked, a small smile still playing on his lips.

He sighed, looking down at his blankets, picking at them with his fingernails. "I guess I want to know what girls like. I mean, I think Krystal liked what we did do, but it was almost all above the clothes, you know. I'm not sure if there's certain ways I should touch her or if something I do might hurt her."

He shook his head, his face almost glowing at this point. "I just want to make her feel good."

Sirius was silent, and Remus looked up, a little startled by the sad look he caught briefly in his friend's eyes. But before he could say anything, it was gone, and he wasn't certain he'd really seen it.

"Krys could probably show you better than I could ever describe it,' Sirius said, his face serious now. "It's different for each girl. But there are a couple of spots that you have to know about.'

The boys talked for an hour, Sirius describing how to find the spots he'd discovered, and how to use your fingers and tongue in a way that, in his now rather vast experience, made a girl willing to do almost anything for you.

"Remember Mary? How she screamed? That's how I did it,' Sirius said with a grin. 'And she'd not the only one who's been quite vocal in their praise of my talents.'

He lay back on the bed with a smug look on his face.

Remus however, looked a little stunned. This was a bit more complicated than he'd thought it would be. Girls bodies were obviously so much more complex than his own. But he could vividly imagine his tongue finding those spots Sirius described, and would give anything to hear Krystal screaming out his name. He flushed even more, and tried to keep those thoughts out of his head - he was getting hard, and he'd never hear the end of it from Sirius if he noticed.

'Seriously though, Remus. Ask Krystal. Come on,' he said, as Remus shook his head. "She has done it? You know, let her fingers do the walking?"

Remus closed his eyes, but was unable to stop a smile crossing his face at his friend's words. "Yes," he said, through gritted teeth.

"Did she tell you that? Has she been as busy as you over the last couple of weeks?' Sirius asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"I can't ask her to show me, can I?' he said, ignoring the question.

"Course you can,' Sirius replied, brightly. "And you can show her. I'm pretty sure Krys isn't the kind of girl who would be happy to just lie there and do nothing."

Remus smiled, remembering Krystal's wandering hands one warm afternoon at the local park during the holidays.

"Well,' said Sirius, taking his broad grin as an answer. "If you're not quite ready for the big one, there's plenty of warm up activities you can do that will give you a break from jerking off. You know, using fingers, and mouths, and tongues to make each other….."

'Yeah, ok, Sirius,' Remus cut in, holding up his hand as if to stop the stream of words. He'd just about reached the pinnacle of embarrassment, talking to his friend like this. And, although he really did appreciate his help, he'd learnt more about Sirius' sex life than he ever needed to know. It was starting to make him feel a bit inadequate actually.

Sirius grinned. "You'll know, Remus. You'll know when you do something she likes. Trust me."

Remus looked at his friend, and smiled. "Thanks, Pads."

Later that night, Remus felt Krystal grasp his head as he made his way down her neck, kissing all the spots he'd found over the last couple of weeks that made her moan. His hand crept under her shirt, running over her stomach and ribs before coming to rest on her bra covered breast, his fingers teasing the hard nipple that pebbled under his touch. His own groan masked hers, as her hands slipped down the back of his jeans, her fingers biting into his ass as she pulled him harder against her, her hips rising to meet him.

Remus moved, trying to get nearer, parting her legs with his, and sliding his own between them. Krystal obligingly bent her knees, bringing her legs up to wrap around his, trying to drag him closer as her hands ran up his back under his shirt, making him shiver. His fingers tugged at her bra, pulling it down so he could touch her bare breast, pushing his body harder against hers when she let out a gasp.

He could feel her heat now, against his groin, and the friction of their unconscious movements were quickly bringing him closer to the edge. He ran a hand down her body, moving to her thigh, rubbing it through her jeans. Krystal's hands ran around to his chest, and he moaned when her fingers brushed his nipples. He copied her motion with his own fingers, feeling her nipple harden further and biting gently at her neck when she cried out. Hearing their now ragged breathing made him realise how far things were going, and he pulled back, smiling a little at her frustrated growl.

"Time to call a halt to proceedings, I'm afraid,' he said, hearing a soft groan from her as he moved against her.

'Do we have to?' she complained. "Do you know how close you've got me?" Remus felt his body tense, and knew he wasn't that far from the end himself. Maybe it was a good time to try Sirius' suggestion.

"Krys, could I help you? I mean,' he tried to explain himself as she looked up at him startled. "If you wanted to, you could show me what to do to make you…,um, to show me what you like."

Her face was unreadable as she stared at him for several seconds.

"Or that could have been a horrible idea and you should forget I ever suggested it,' he said, quickly, but she reached out and touched him on the shoulder.

"Really?' she asked, her expression cautious.

Remus felt hopeful and he said, "We could try, if you wanted. I know it might be a bit embarrassing but……"

"No,' Krystal said, her face changing as she spoke. "I think it's a fantastic idea. But only if you show me what you like as well."

Remus grinned. "Oh, I think I could do that," he said, leaning down to kiss her, letting it deepen until their hips began to move again. "You first,' he said, looking down at her.

She smiled, a little nervously. She made sure the Silencing Spell was working, and sealed the curtains, making it impossible for anyone to get through. Climbing under the covers, she lifted her hips, pulling her jeans and underwear off. Remus' throat felt dry when he saw her throw her pants on the floor, and he swallowed hard. She slipped her shirt off as well, then undid her bra. He had a tiny glimpse of her breasts before she pulled the covers up and looked at him anxiously.

"I'm not skinny like Lily,' she said, suddenly feeling insecure about her curves, comparing them to her friend's thinner frame. Remus smiled a little incredulously.

"Krys, are you kidding? You make me so hot, I think I might explode,' he said. "I've seen you in a bikini that should have been illegal. You're gorgeous."

She smiled, feeling more confident. She took his hands. "Go slow, ok. Just touch me gently at first,' she directed, moving one of his hands to her bare breast under the sheets.

Remus felt his heart speed up as he felt the soft flesh under his hand. He shifted it slightly and heard her small intake of breath as his palm brushed over her nipple, doing it again, deliberately this time, and feeling her push her breast further into his hand. Seeing the need in her eyes, he grasped the sheet and pulled it down past her chest. He let his eyes travel over her, not even trying to hide his desire.

Her chest was rising and falling rapidly, and as he reached out to touch her, he could feel her heart beating fast. Using his fingertips, he circled her breast, starting at the outside, moving closer to the tip each time. He could tell she liked this; she was arching up towards him, biting her lip as she watched him. He flicked her nipple gently with his finger, stroking it gently, watching it harden further. She moaned, her eyes fluttering shut, as her head tipped back. He continued to tease her breasts, until she became impatient, halting his hands and moving them down to her hips.

"Just touch me,' she said desperately, when he asked what she wanted him to do.

Remus pulled the sheet down further, so her whole body was exposed to his view. He drew in a shaky breath as his eyes devoured her, then looked up to see her staring at him, her uncertainty returning. He leaned over and kissed her bruisingly , not bothering to restrain himself as he felt lust surge through him.

"You are so fucking hot,' he groaned into her mouth, his voice rough. He felt her relax and let his hands wander across her rib cage and stomach, moving to stroke her hips then her thighs; parting her legs when he felt her lifting up to him. She moved her legs apart and he shifted so he could kiss her again, as he let his hand brush up against her.

Krystal gasped against his mouth, and her hips shot up off the bed.

'God,' he moaned into her lips as he felt an answering surge in his own hips.

He brushed over her again, firmer this time and felt her damp heat. His own excitement rising to almost unbearable heights now, he moved so his lips were near her ear.

"Show me,' he demanded.

Krystal didn't hesitate, so close to the end that she'd lost all inhibitions. She parted her legs further, and took his hand. She showed him where to touch her, Remus nearly losing all control, when she helped him run his fingers over her. Her moans were regular now and becoming louder, as she removed her hands and let him take over.

Intoxicated by her scent and wanting to see, he moved down between her legs to watch as his fingers teased her. Glancing up, he saw Krystal's eyes close as he slid his fingers into her wet heat. He ran his thumb over the spot she'd shown him and her moan turned into a cry, her movements becoming frantic as he continued to work his thumb over the hardening bump. Unable to stop himself, he leant over her and took a nipple in his mouth, sucking gently.

Her eyes flew open, and he saw that they had turned a light blue, nearly silver as she got closer to her release. He lightly sucked again, flicking at her nipple with his tongue, and felt her body tense. Her body began to shudder, her breathing was fast and uncontrolled, and she cried out loudly, her hips leaving the bed. Remus felt her tighten around his fingers and felt the spasms rock her body. He continued to stroke her until he felt her body relax again, and she slapped his hand away with a laugh.

"You'll kill me if you keep that up now,' she gasped, trying to control her breathing. "I'm a bit sensitive for a while after."

He moved up next to her, and kissed her hard. He was throbbing, and every touch over his groin almost hurt, but he wanted to give her enough time to recover, and he wanted to know how he'd done.

She grinned, her breathing nearly back to normal as she said, "You did good, babe!"

Remus looked startled, then realised she'd read his mind.

"Sorry,' she smiled. "But I couldn't keep the block up." She giggled at the superior look on his face, and stretched, making his body twitch. He ran his hand down her side till it rested on her hip.

'How did you get this?' he asked, tracing the V shaped scar there with his finger, feeling her shiver a little.

'Climbing over a fence one day when I was nine. Tore right through my jeans. Hurt like hell,' she answered, her hips lifting as his hand moved over her belly. She took his wandering hand and kissed it.

Her face turned serious and her other hand raised to his face.

"Thank you, Remus. That was incredible. It's never been that good before." He smiled, feeling quite self-satisfied.

"Really?' he asked, unable to stop his smile broadening when she nodded. She whacked him on the chest lightly, laughing at his smug look.

"Don't get a swollen head,' she said, then blushed as he laughed and quipped, "Too late,' looking down at himself.

"So,' she said, pulling the sheets up over her rapidly cooling body. "Your turn?"

He grinned, but tried to force it down. "Are you sure? I don't want to rush you…" She laughed and pushed him over onto his back.

"Strip, Remus,' she demanded playfully, rolling onto her side. Remus reached beneath the sheets and hurriedly undid his pants and yanked them and his underwear down, feeling better now the constrictions were gone. She tugged his shirt, as if reminding him, and he pulled it off. She propped her head up on her elbow, her eyes running over his bare chest, sliding down to the patch of hair that ran from his stomach down until it disappeared under the covers. As she looked, she could see the outline of his erection under the thin sheet, tenting it a little.

Looking back up at him, she smiled, turning onto her stomach and sliding up to kiss him. He responded, sliding his arm under her and pulling her so her upper body was pressing onto his. Krystal heard him make a strangled sound when her breasts brushed his chest. She moved her mouth down to his neck, kissing along his shoulders, paying attention to each and every scar. When she got to his nipple, she copied his previous motion, flicking at it with her tongue until he grasped her hair. She bit him lightly then, and heard him gasp loudly, his hips moving.

Feeling turned on again herself, she moved her hands to his stomach, circling his belly button with a finger.

"Tell me what to do,' she whispered, into his throat, her tongue licking the hollow of his neck, hearing him gasp.

Remus took her hand and begged, "Touch me, Krys. Please?" He pushed her hand so it was low on his stomach, looking at her, his deep blue eyes looking black with need. Krystal removed the sheet, and swore under her breath at the sight of him.

"Shit,' she mumbled. She'd teased him months ago about his use of the word 'massive' when describing his erection, but it seems that wasn't too much of an exaggeration. Even with her limited experience, she knew he was well built. She felt an ache begin again between her legs, as she reached out to stroke a finger down his shaft. His hips jumped, and he pressed his lips together to stop a curse escaping.

Her confidence bolstered by his reaction, she grew bolder, allowing her hands to wander over his lap. She ran her finger over the tip of him, smiling a little. 'What?' he groaned.

Her smile broadened, surprise in her voice when she said, 'You're soft.'

Remus looked a little insulted. 'Have you had a good look…?' he began, but she laughed.

'Sorry, I think I meant smooth,' she said, running her fingers gently down him. 'I wasn't expecting that.'

He drew in a sharp breath as her fingers teased him. 'You can touch me harder,' he said, then bit his lip when she did.

After giving her a minute to explore, he knew he couldn't wait any longer.

"Krys,' he pleaded, his own hand moving to stroke himself. She stopped his movements, replacing his hand with her own.

"Show me how you like it,' she said, sitting up and straddling his leg. She was still naked, and Remus could feel how hot and wet she was between her legs. It was like his wildest fantasy come true and wanted nothing more than to bury himself in her. But, her hand felt so good on him and he was so close, and as he wrapped his over hers to show her how to move it, he closed his eyes, forgetting everything except the feel of her touching him.

His hand dropped, leaving her to finish him, which wasn't going to take long.

"Faster, honey,' he breathed, panting as he felt her hand speed up.

He opened his eyes and saw her watching her hand as it moved on him. He let out a loud groan, and felt his balls tighten when her hand brushed over them. Losing control, he thrust his hips up hard against her hand, throwing his head back as he felt his orgasm shake his body. He cried out, shaking and clutching the sheets under him.

Krystal was lying on her side next to him when he opened his eyes, grinning at him as she leaned over and kissed him quickly. He reached for his wand, realising her hand was still wrapped around him, splattered with his fluid.

Pointing it, he cast a cleansing spell. "You can let go now,' he told her, and she giggled, but released him. She looked at him, a grin on her face, and he closed his eyes for a moment, incredibly happy but also a bit overwhelmed.

"You ok?' she asked, concerned. He nodded, not trusting his voice, and cleared his throat. Opening his eyes, he turned his head to look at her. She could see his shining eyes, and understood.

She fumbled for his hand and squeezed it. "If this is what masturbation does, actual sex may just kill us,' she quipped, glad when he laughed.

"So it was alright then?' she asked.

"Well,' he said, giving a shrug. 'It was your first time, I'm sure you'll get better…' His words were muffled by the pillow she hit him over the head with.

Laughing, he wrestled it off her, and hit her with it, before tossing it to the end of the bed. He rolled, grabbing her as he did, stopping when she was under him. He kissed her, softly and gently, his hands moving to slide into her hair.

"You have no idea how many times I have fantasised about you doing that very thing to me,' he said, brushing his lips over her cheek. "That was so much better than anything I have ever have imagined, Krys. Thank you."

They kissed again, and snuggled into each other, forgetting where they were as they drifted off to sleep holding each other.

Remus was woken in the morning by Sirius urgently shaking him. "Moony!"

"What?' he said groggily, struggling to sit up.

"McGonagall's coming! She'd doing a room check,' he whispered urgently. He looked closer at them.

'Shit! Are you both naked?' He threw James' Invisibility Cloak at him, and bent, picking up Krystal's clothes and handing them to him.

"Get Krys out of here,' Sirius hissed. Krystal was sitting up now, rubbing her eyes and clutching the sheet to her chest. "Hurry, James is trying to stall her."

He closed the curtains and Remus jumped up, handing Krystal her clothes.

"Shit,' he said, pulling on his pants quickly, as Krystal slipped her shirt on, standing to pull on her jeans. Remus found his shirt and pulled it over his head, seeing Krystal shove her bra and knickers into her jeans pocket.

Moving around the bed, he threw the Invisibility Cloak around her shoulders. He opened the curtains around his bed, just as he saw Professor McGonagall enter the room, closely followed by a flustered James and a frowning Sirius.

"Morning Professor,' Remus said, hoping Krystal was hidden properly.

"Mr Lupin? Sleeping in this morning?" Her eyes moved to his rumpled bed, and Remus saw James' eyes widen as he looked at the ground near Remus' feet.

The teacher went to look at the other beds and the bathroom, and Remus quickly looked down, shoving Krystal's shoes under his bed with his foot. Sirius was grinning now, and James began to relax.

"Everything alright Professor?' said Remus, looking at the older woman.

"That bathroom needs tidying, boys,' she said, looking up at the ceiling for cobwebs. Remus nodded, slightly distracted by James and Sirius, who were now turning to look behind them, James slapping surreptitiously at the air, Sirius fidgeting, trying hard to stop a laugh escaping him.

"Don't' forget there is a prefect meeting this evening, Mr Lupin,' Professor McGonagall said. She spun around and left the room.

James shut the door after her and Sirius burst out laughing.

"Come out, come out!' he called. Krystal appeared behind him, and laughed. James shook his head, smiling.

"That was close, guys. You're going to have to be more careful,' he said, getting his books from his bed.

"And you a prefect, Remus. It's just disgraceful,' Sirius said, his grave words losing their effect when Remus saw the grin on his face.

"Isn't it?' said Krystal, not looking in the least bit worried, as she walked back over to Remus. "You're setting such a bad example, Remus. You deserve to be severely punished."

She said the last words against his lips, a promise in her tone. She was smiling, and he couldn't stop his grin.

"Alright, you two. You're going to make me sick,' Sirius said, watching them with a slight frown.

They laughed and Krystal gave Remus a quick kiss, shoving something into the front pocket of his jeans. "I'd better go.' she said, with a grin. She covered herself with the cloak.

"I'll return this later,' she called to James, who waved at her as she left the room.

As soon as she'd left, Sirius and James rounded on Remus.

"Well,' demanded James. "Did you or did you not have sex?"

Remus grinned. "We didn't,' he said, happily.

James looked bemused. "Why do you look so happy then?' he asked, as Sirius smiled.

"It's just such a beautiful day,' Remus answered, laughing at James' face. He saw Sirius watching him, and winked. "You were right, Pads. I knew."

His friend laughed, and James shook his head. "I don't have a clue what you two are on about half the time."

They laughed again, and Remus turned back to his bed to make it, reaching into his pocket to see what Krystal had left. He grinned when he pulled out her pink lacy knickers, and shaking his head, put them in his top drawer_._


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks MoonNightLover - hope your hand gets better.**

**We go a little further in this chapter - lots of yummy stuff coming up. Please review. Please. Please. Please.**

Chapter Fourteen

Exams crept up on Remus and Krystal, and they found themselves with little free time to spend together as they revised the years' work. Both knew if their results weren't good enough, their parents would not allow them to see each other, and that thought got them through exams, their marks not as good as they could have been, but not terrible either.

Their last night at Hogwarts was spent at first with their friends, celebrating end of exams, and of Sixth Year, the next year being their last at the castle. Remus was talking to Peter about his results, and Krystal was sitting on the couch, watching a couple across the room, talking quietly. Sirius came and sat next to her, and looked over at the two as well.

"They're spending a lot of time together,' she said, glancing over at him.

"Yeah. I think Pete and I will be the only single guys next year,' he replied, a slight frown on his face as he took a sip of his drink as he watched James and Lily.

"You might settle down, too, Sirius. It would be good for you to date a girl who wouldn't take any of your shit,' she suggested with a smile, and was surprised by the serious look on his face.

"There is this girl I like,' he said, turning his bottle in his hands. "A lot. The thing is that she is already taken. By one of my best mates. Probably not appropriate to hit on her - not again."

Despite his attempt at a joke, Krystal saw a sadness in his face, and was shocked to realise he was talking about her. She reached over and slipped her hand into his, squeezing a little.

"Sirius?' she said, her question unspoken.

He shook his head. "I'm not telling you to hear it back, Krys. I know how you feel about Remus, and you and he are much better together than we ever would have been,' he said, his voice low. 'I know it would never work between us. You and me - we're too much alike. I just…needed to get it off my chest, I think.'

Krystal was silent. She'd never guessed he felt more than friendship for her, even after that time at the lake. She'd always thought it was a spur of the moment thing.

Sirius sighed, looking over at James and Lily again. 'I guess I'm a bit jealous. You guys have something really special. I'm starting to think I might like that too."

'Then stop being such a flirt, Siri,' she said softly. "Let someone see the real you, not 'Hot Stuff Sirius' all the time. No girl worth getting to know is going to look twice at him."

He smiled and looked over at her. "I lied, you know. That night at the party. When I said I didn't feel anything when we kissed,' he confessed.

She gave him a small smile, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "So did I,' she whispered. "But it wasn't what I feel with Remus."

He nodded, flushing a little. "You are perfect for each other, you know. Fire and water? Isn't that what Lily said? How two people who are so different could be so right together baffles me but...I'm happy for you both,' he said, then grinned. "But tell Remus to let you do the Silencing Spells; his are hopeless."

Krystal laughed, as Remus joined them, noting their clasped hands. "What's so funny?' he asked, slinging an arm around his girlfriend and pulling her towards him to kiss her neck.

"Your Silencing Spells, apparently,' she answered, her face lighting up at his touch. Remus blushed and looked at Sirius.

"Really? God, sorry, Pads,' he said, his face turning red at his friends emphatic nod. The last time he'd done the spells had been just before exams, and, if he remembered correctly, he and Krystal had been very vocal in their pleasure.

"That's alright,' Sirius said, grinning cheekily as he stood up, releasing Krystal's hand with a grateful squeeze. "Best wank I've ever had."

He left the couple grinning, but turning red.

"Jesus,' said Remus, shaking his head. He watched Sirius walk across the room to Peter, and looked at Krystal. "Is he alright?' he asked, having seen their quiet conversation.

She nodded, frowning for a second before looking at him and smiling.

"Come on,' she said, standing up and pulling him to his feet. "I'll show you how to do a proper Silencing Spell."

He laughed, and followed her up the stairs to his bed, his hands wandering over her, ignoring her slaps at them. When they got in the room, he wasted no time, grabbing her hips and spinning her around, kissing her furiously. It had been a while since they'd been able to be alone like this, and he was already hard. Krystal seemed a little taken aback with his aggression at first, but sparks soon lit a fire in her and she became just as frantic.

They were pulling each others clothes off before they got to the bed, falling down on it together. Remus' mouth went to her breast, licking her nipple through her bra, and she groaned, quickly reaching around to rid herself of the barrier. He impatiently pushed it out of the way, his tongue touching the tip of her breast, causing heat to rush through her, and as his mouth closed around her nipple, her hands moved to his pants, undoing his buckle and pulling down his zip, her hand slipping into his pants and she heard him swear as her fingers closed around him.

"Spells,' he ground out, his voice strangled as he reminded her to put up the Silencing Spell. She pulled her hand out of his pants and waved them in the air, the curtains closing at her silent command. Remus was running a hand up her skirt now, moving between her legs and kissing her neck. With hands fumbling, she pushed his pants down, yanking his underwear with them. She felt him kick them off completely and he pressed against her, his hardness rubbing against her through the thin layer of her underwear. Krystal gasped at the touch, and moaned when Remus' mouth found her breasts again, just as his fingers found her heat, her hips rising to meet him.

They had never felt so out of control, so urgent before. Remus removed his hands from inside her underwear, feeling a surge of lust at her moan of complaint. He almost tore her knickers as he jerked them down her legs. He pushed her skirt up around her waist, not bothering to remove the unoffending garment. He resumed his teasing, rubbing her, before he slid his fingers into her slick heat, feeling how wet she was already. He could feel her hands on him, caressing him, stroking him. Krystal ran a finger over the tip of his shaft and felt his fluid, knowing he was close.

She pushed at him until he rolled onto his back, and moved up over the top of him. Straddling his hips, she kissed him urgently, feeling him against her now with no barriers. Remus knew in a few more seconds they would go too far, and that this was not how either of them wanted their first time to happen.

"Krys,' he said against her lips, his breathing as erratic as hers. "Stop, Krys."

"I don't want to, Remus,' she said, moving her lips to his jaw. He groaned when she moved, so the tip of him was rubbing against her, and he felt himself tighten, even as he fought to stop himself thrusting up into her.

Gathering the last threads of his control, he grasped her hips and rolled her off him, moving so he was propping himself up over her.

"Krys, I'm too close,' he said, running his hand down over her stomach, brushing his thumb through her soft curls and feeling her shiver. "It wouldn't be any good for you; and this isn't how we wanted it to happen."

He saw her face, and realised she was near tears. "Krys,' he soothed, kissing her softly. "I want you so much, but I want it to be wonderful for both of us, and I don't think either of us have the patience tonight to make it good. We'd regret it."

He kissed down her neck and over her breasts, listening to her make pleading noises in her throat. His fingers moved to stroke her again, as his mouth kissed along her ribs. Her hips were lifting against his fingers now, and the smell of her was making him crazy.

Suddenly he wanted more, to know what her desire tasted like. He pulled off her skirt, kissing over her stomach then, moving lower on the bed, he ran his tongue along her hip, briefly tracing the scar there. His tongue circled her navel, and he heard her breath leave her sharply.

"Remus,' she moaned, her voice pleading with him; he didn't know whether she was beseeching him to stop or keep going.

Unwilling to stop, he kissed her inner thigh, and felt her grip his hair tightly. Having gotten his answer, he put an arm across her stomach, trying to stop her hips from rising so much, and his tongue found her clit, sending a shudder through her. Remus felt his own body respond immediately to her, almost losing control of himself. He tried to think of his last exam and how difficult it had been, anything to stop himself finishing before she did.

He didn't have to wait long. His fingers inside her, and his tongue stroking her were too much for Krystal and, when Remus sucked at her, his tongue circling the small bump, Krystal gasped then everything went black as she screamed her release, thrusting herself harder against his mouth, calling out his name. Remus stopped his ministrations when he felt her body relaxing, and ran his tongue over his lips, enjoying the taste of her in his mouth. He made a mental note to thank Sirius for his advice next time he saw him.

He moved to lay next to her, and was startled to see her lying on her back, a shaking arm over her eyes.

"It wasn't that bad was it?' he said, trying a gentle joke. She let out a half laugh/ half sob, and he pulled her to him, rolling her onto her side.

"Good or bad tears?' he asked, his mouth moving against her hair.

"Good,' she said, wiping them away. Her lip was still trembling as she looked at him. "I've changed my mind. We can never have sex ,Remus, I can't handle it."

He smiled and chuckled at her. "This is new to both of us, Krys. It's bound to be a little emotional.' He kissed her lips, and she pulled back slightly. "What?' he asked, puzzled at why she'd cut the kiss short.

"I can taste myself,' she said, frowning. He smiled at her.

"Don't you like it?' he asked. "I do. But I can go and wash…"

"No.' she said, looking at his lips again. "It was just a surprise. It was all a surprise." She had a small smile on her face, and she flushed when she looked at his smug face.

"Now I know what Mary was talking about - how Sirius made her scream?' she reminded him.

He grinned, and his groin tightened again, as she leaned over and kissed him slowly, then deepening it her tongue moving against his. He moaned into her mouth, and turned onto his back when he felt her pushing at him. Krystal's mouth moved down his throat, and across his shoulders, her tongue running over his skin. He felt her hands move to between his legs, letting them roam softly, teasing him; bringing him to hover at the brink, but not offering him release.

He was shaking now, moving urgently against her teasing hands. "Krys, I need…" he began, but she quickly moved her lips from his nipples, kissing him.

'Shh!' she ordered. "Have some patience."

He let out a bark of laughter at the irony of her, the most impatient person he knew, telling him to be patient. Then, as he felt her mouth move to his stomach, he gasped, suddenly understanding why she'd not yet given him what he needed.

"Krys, honey. You don't have to…" he whispered hoarsely, wanting so badly for her to continue. He felt her breath on his cock, and all ability to speak left him. Her hands moved to grasp him, and when he felt her tongue flick over his tip, he couldn't stop himself thrusting up to meet her. His hands tangled in her hair as her mouth closed over him, and a strangled sound escaped his throat.

Shaking uncontrollably now, he tried to concentrate on anything but what she was doing to him, trying to prolong the incredible sensations he felt. But he was too close, it felt too good, and soon his restraint deserted him and he was thrusting shallowly into her mouth. He heard her groan, and the vibration knocked him over the edge.

"Krys, I'm going to come,' he gasped, vaguely recalling what Sirius had told him about giving her a chance to move if this happened.

But her lips continue to move on him, if anything, she took him further into her mouth. He tried one last time, "Krys, move."

But she didn't and then he was exploding, his hands tight in her hair, a moan that sounded as if it had been ripped from his chest loud in the air.

Remus was still trembling and panting when she moved to lay next to him, her head on his chest. Seeing him struggling with his emotions, as she had, she didn't talk, just lay with him, her fingers tracing his scars as she listened to his heart beat begin to slow.

"You didn't move. Did you just…' he asked, his voice still gravely. She nodded against his chest. "And?' he said, looking down at the top of her head.

"I like how you taste,' she said, her voice a little shaky.

He moved, sliding down on the bed until his face was level with hers and, without any words or hesitation, he grasped her face and kissed her, tasting himself on her lips. They had kissed many, many times by now, but this was different, and they both felt it. As their lips softly touched each other, they knew for certain what they'd both begun to suspect; that this wasn't a high school fling or shared attraction and passion. This was love - deep, strong and true.

Unable yet to voice his feelings to her, needing time to absorb the realisation, he pulled her to him. They lay silently, not needing words. Stroking each other's skin lightly, they were lost in their own thoughts as Remus' room mates came into the room, grinning at each other when they saw the closed curtains.

Rushing the next morning to pack, Krystal saw that Lily was in a particularly good mood. She stopped her packing when Lily began to hum, frowning at her friend.

"Alright, spill,' she demanded, sitting on Lily's bed next to her trunk.

"What?' said Lily with a grin. Krystal smiled too, thinking she might have guessed what had happened.

"You and James?' she asked, her smile broadening when Lily nodded, blushing.

"He kissed me, and this time I didn't hit him,' she said with a giggle, remembering the last time he'd made a move on her.

"Lily! So, you do like him after all?' Krystal said, bouncing slightly on the bed in her excitement for her friend.

Lily's face turned serious and she nodded again, saying, "I do, Krys. He's not a jerk like he used to be; he's a really good guy." Krystal laughed, and stood up.

"I've been trying to tell you that for years, Lil,' she said, picking up the last of her clothes and dumping them in her trunk, slamming the lid shut.

"So,' said Lily, closing her trunk as well and moving to sit on Krystal's bed. "You spent the night with Remus again last night. Anything you want to tell me?"

Krystal had confided in Lily that, despite their mutual longing for each other, she and Remus had decided to wait a little while before going all the way. She'd also told her how they'd overcome their frustration while they waited, but this time, Krystal felt like she wanted to keep what happened to herself.

"Still sticking to the plan,' she said lightly, but her face gave something away, and Lily smiled.

"Something happened, didn't it? Not sex, but…something,' she said, frowning as Krystal's face changed, becoming uncertain. "Krys, everything's alright, isn't it?"

Krystal nodded, "Yes. I just….,' she stopped talking, hesitating before admitting out loud, "I love him, Lily."

Lily smiled, relieved. She stood and hugged her friend tightly. "Krys, I hate to break the news to you, but the only ones who didn't know that were you and Remus,' she said softly. "I'm glad you finally realised it."

Remus was having a similar conversation with James, his friend having told him that Lily finally agreed to go on a date with him over the holidays.

"That's great, James. Looks like your persistence paid off,' Remus said, happy for him. "So, Krys snuck out of here early this morning,' James said, leaning back against his packed trunk, watching Remus put the last books in his own.

Remus smiled, "Mmm,' he murmured, unwilling to talk about what had gone on the night before. What had happened was too intimate, too special for him to brag about it with his friends. James seemed to understand that, though.

He looked at Remus thoughtfully, frowning slightly as he spoke. "How did you know?' he asked, flushing a little. Remus turned from his now closed trunk, looking puzzled.

"How did I know what?' he asked, walking over to James and sitting opposite him, on Peter's bed.

"How did you know it was Krystal? How did you know that you….that you loved her?"

Remus looked startled. He hadn't told anyone about how he felt about Krystal.

James saw his shock and smiled. "Didn't you know yet?' he asked, grinning at his friend.

"I did,' Remus admitted, with a smile. 'I guess I've always known, but it didn't really hit me till last night. But how did you know?"

"Everyone knows how you and Krys feel about each other, Moony. I think you two are the last to figure it out,' he grinned at Remus' red face.

"So, how did you know?' James asked again, his face losing it's smile.

Remus frowned. "I'm not sure. I had a crush on her for ages, but I think it started to really change when Malfoy attacked her." Remus shook his head, feeling a fresh surge of anger. "I wanted to kill him, Prongs. But mostly, I wanted to protect her. I wanted to just hold her and never let anything hurt her again. I think that's when it started, but I didn't know for sure until last night."

He saw James' unsure face. "I've been falling for her for years, James. I'm just a little slow on the uptake, I guess. Is this about Lily? Do you think you….."

He stopped as James stood up and shrugged. "I don't know, Moony. I've liked her for ages, but now……"

Remus stood as well. "Krys makes me happier than I've ever been. She's always on my mind, and she makes me feel like I can do anything. She accepts me - all of me - and I feel…like we're part of each other. Every time I kiss her, she claims a little bit more of my heart. I don't know if that's the same for everyone, but…." He shrugged.

James nodded, and smiled. "Sounds alright to me.' he said wistfully.

The trip back home on the Hogwarts Express seemed to go quickly, and they all hugged goodbye at the station. Krystal and Remus lingered over their goodbyes, knowing that they wouldn't be seeing each other for at least a few days: the full moon was due the next night.

"I'll send you an owl when I'm feeling better,' Remus promised, his arms around her waist. She tightened her arms around his shoulders, pressing herself against him.

"The very second?' she asked, standing on her toes so she could kiss him.

"Mmmm,' he murmured against her lips. Forgetting for a second where they were, they allowed the kiss to deepen, until they heard giggling from some Third Years.

They blushed and pulled apart a little. "You still having a party for your birthday? I'll have to figure out what to get you,' Remus said, running his hands up and down her back. 'I really loved my present.'

He grinned, remembering his confusion at first when Krystal had given him scarves, but comprehension hit as she stripped, revealing the hottest lingerie he'd ever seen, and she'd used those scarves to tie him up. She'd proceeded to demonstrate precisely how to touch her in ways that made her moan and arch off the bed, and showed him just how much she'd learnt about what made him have the same reaction.

Krystal grinned and kissed him, saying, "And I have every intention of giving you something these holidays as well, so don't do yourself too much damage this full moon alright?"

Remus looked down at her and felt his body stir. "Shit, Krys.' he complained as he felt himself get hard. "My mum will be here in a second, and I've got a hard on."

Krystal giggled, but soon lost her smile. "Just try to go easy on yourself. I know you can't control it, it's just…"

He nodded. "I know. I'll try."

This would be his first transformation for ages without James, Sirius and Peter with him to keep him a little sane, and she wasn't the only one worried.

He smiled and tried his best to kiss their concerns away, again allowing himself to get a little carried away, until he heard a throat being cleared loudly next to them.

For God's sake, you two,' said Krystal's mother, trying to hide a smile. "There's a time and a place, and this is not it!"

Remus' father stood just behind her, not bothering to hide his amusement. Quick hello's and hugs were given, Remus touched when Mrs O'Connor hugged him.

Krystal had told him she had told her parents about his lycanthropy months ago, but it was one thing accepting your daughter's werewolf friend, quite another to welcome her werewolf boyfriend. Krystal and his dad hugged, his dad whispering something to her and she laughed.

Their parents walked in front of them out of the station, talking about upcoming holiday plans. Remus held Krystal's hand as they walked to their cars, stopping her a short distance from their parents.

"Are you sure about this?' he asked, taking both her hands in his.

"Very sure,' she replied, leaning over to kiss him. "I've just got to figure out how we're going to get the time alone. I don't want to rush."

"Neither do I,' he said, grinning as he kissed her, letting it linger until his father called out, "Remus, leave the girl alone. We're going!"

They both laughed and Remus waved as he got into the car. Krystal and her mother watched him drive off, then her mother turned to her.

"I think we may need to expand on that school sex talk, young lady,' she said. Krystal sighed, and got in the car.


	15. Chapter 15

**Alright - you've been very patient but now they are of age - so it is ON! Lots of sex and a bit of fluff. Sex for a few chappies while they get it out of their systems then the drama begins.**

**WARNING: In case you didn't read the above, SEX!**

**I know you're reading...Please review as well. Feed the beast within.**

Chapter Fifteen

"Krystal, come on!' Lily called, looking at her watch. She turned on the stereo as Krystal ran down the stairs, coming to an abrupt halt in front of her friend.

"What do you think?' she said, spinning around on the spot.

Lily grinned. "I hope your dad isn't staying,' she said, with a laugh as she took in Krystal's dress.

"I'm not wearing it for my dad,' Krystal retorted, with a smile.

It was the day of her seventeenth birthday and her parents had organised a small party to celebrate her coming of age. Her mother had taken her shopping for a new dress, rolling her eyes at Krystal's choice. The bright blue dress had thin straps with a tight bodice, giving her even more cleavage than usual. It flared out at the hip, ending an inch or so above her knees. Her hair was back in a braid, and her eyes were sparkling.

'So,' said Lily, lowering her voice. 'You're still planning on making this THE night?"

Krystal nodded. "I can't wait, Lils,' she said, excitedly.

"Aren't you scared?' asked Lily.

Krystal thought for a moment. "No,' she said. "I'm excited. I trust Remus…and I really want to be with him."

Krystal had opened up to her mother about her plans and, although her mother said she would like her to wait as long as possible, she was officially an adult now. It had been Mrs O'Connor's suggestion that she and Krystal's father take a short vacation, leaving Krystal at home.

'I'd rather you had your first time somewhere familiar and comfortable, rather than at a friend's place or in a grungy cupboard,' she'd said, surprising Krystal.

She warned Krystal, though, not to mention to her father that Remus would also be staying at the house, insisting that she would break the news once they were well away.

"No matter how old you get, honey, you'll always be his baby. He won't understand. Best to leave him to me,' she'd said, hugging her daughter.

She'd sent an owl to Remus explaining the arrangements, and received one back, in which he'd complained that he had just sat through the most embarrassing hour of his life with his father after telling him about their plans.

'He actually used the word, 'orgasm', Krys,' he wrote. 'I thought I was going to pass out.' Remus had been writing often, though she hadn't seen him for two weeks. He was mysteriously very busy; refusing to tell her what he was doing.

A knock on the door startled Krystal and she went to open it, seeing Mary and Alice. After opening their gifts, they sat talking in Krystal's room, until her father called out that James and Sirius were here. The four girls walked downstairs, her father smiling until he saw Krystal's dress. He opened his mouth, but Mrs O'Connor grabbed him and dragged him from the room.

James smiled at her, and said, "Nice dress, Krys,' before being distracted by Lily. Sirius was more vocal, jokingly begging her to reconsider dating Remus to take up with him. She laughed, but noticed Sirius' smiles seemed a little forced.

She took him into a corner, and asked, 'What's wrong?"

He looked slightly surprised that she'd known something was wrong, but smiled grimly as he said, "I've left home. I couldn't stand it anymore, Krys."

She frowned, saying worriedly, "Where are you staying?" He indicated over his shoulder to where James was standing with Lily.

"The Potter's, until I can get my own place,' he told her.

"Are you alright?' she asked, taking his hand.

"Yeah," he said, giving her a small smile. "I was never very happy there, so it's for the best."

They were both distracted as Peter and Frank arrived, and some of her friends from other school houses began turning up. Remus was still absent though.

Krystal was getting a little anxious when there was a knock on the door. She opened it, smiling when she saw Remus standing there.

"Hi,' she said softly, suddenly feeling a little shy.

His mouth opened but nothing but a sharp exhale came out. Krystal grinned as Remus eye's moved down her body.

"Holy shit, Krys!' he exclaimed when he regained the power of speech. "What are you trying to do to me?" She did a little twirl, hearing a soft groan from him as her skirt moved, flashing an even greater amount of leg.

"Like it?' she asked.

He stepped forward and took her face in his hands, kissing her hard and long, leaving her breathless when he finally let her go.

"Should I take that as a yes?' she said.

'I can't wait to take it off you,' he murmured, kissing her again, softer this time.

He moved into the house, bringing a small bag of clothes with him.

"Should I hide this, or do I spend the night hiding from your father?' he asked, not sure whether she'd told her somewhat protective father her plans.

"Probably best to hide it,' she suggested, sliding it into the coat cupboard. She took his hand and they moved into the living room, where the party was starting to get moving.

Camera's were passed around and everyone took photos. Krystal took one of her parents dancing.

"And they whinge about my inappropriate public displays of affection,' she complained to Lily, watching as her father bent her mother backwards in a dip. Krystal shook her head despairingly and Lily laughed.

The sky outside turned dark, and the teenagers got louder. Krystal's parents disappeared, saying they were too old to cope with the volume of the music. Remus went in search of drinks, and stumbled across Mrs O'Connor in the kitchen, sitting at the table with a book. She looked up when he entered, smiling at him.

"Looking for something?' she asked, closing the book.

'Um, Krys wants more drinks out,' he mumbled, not able to meet her eye. This was his girlfriends' mother: who happened to know he planned on having sex with her daughter tonight.

"She's got you well trained,' Mrs O'Connor laughed, standing and walking to the small laundry off the kitchen. Remus followed, and saw the drinks in ice in the laundry tub. Mrs O'Connor began to pull bottles out of the ice and hand them to Remus.

"You know, Krystal's father and I began dating when we were only a little older than you and Krys,' she said, handing him bottles of Butterbeer. "We had to sneak around to be alone together and one night, we were nearly caught, and forgot to do the spells. Krystal was born nine months later."

She looked at him, a serious look on her face. "I love Krystal and I don't regret for one second having her, but, we were too young for that responsibility. If I had my time again, I would have made sure I'd taken all precautions and started my family when I was ready."

Remus flushed, and nodded, understanding the message. She stared at him for a moment longer, then handed him the bottles she held.

"Krystal cares very much for you, Remus, and I must admit, I've never seen her as calm or content as she's been lately. But if this is just a fling for you; if you don't care for her the way she does for you, please don't stay tonight."

Remus couldn't stay silent any longer. "This isn't just a fling or a passing infatuation, Mrs O'Connor. I…I love her. I've always loved her,' he said, a little embarrassed but determined to make her understand that he wasn't just after sex.

Mrs O'Connor looked at him carefully. 'When Krys told me about your…problem, I must admit I hoped her feelings were just a crush, and that she'd get over it. The life you two may have is not the life I wanted for her,' she said quietly, seeing the guilty look on his face. 'So I guess it's a bit ironic that I believe you are the _man_ I wanted for her.'

Remus gave her a grateful smile. She smiled back at him and handed him the last bottles, saying, "I want to show you a spell that may be useful."

Soon after, her parent's departed for their short holiday, her mother whispering a reminder about contraceptive spells in Krystal's ear. She nodded, assuring her mother she'd already taken care of it. She was surprised when her mother turned to Remus and hugged him, whispering something to him. Remus nodded and they waved good bye.

"What was all that about?' she asked, turning to him, sliding her arms around his waist. "Your mum and I had a talk earlier. She just wanted to make sure I remembered what she said,' he answered, with a small smile.

"Did she give you the 'I love my daughter but I got pregnant too young' speech?' Krystal asked, with a raised eyebrow.

Remus laughed, and nodded, saying, "She did mention that actually."

Sighing a little, she shook her head, and they went back to the party, the music having magically been turned up even more as her parents departed.

The teenagers were having a great time. Sirius had cheered up and asked Krystal to dance, spinning and twirling her dangerously, both of them laughing. Remus got talking to some Ravenclaw boys, but soon pulled Krystal into a quiet corner and sat her on the couch.

"Having fun?' he said, with a smile. She fanned herself with her hand, her face pink and her damp hair curling around her face.

"Yeah, but I kind of wish they'd all leave,' she replied, looking at him.

He looked back at her, his blue eyes burning with intensity. He raised his hand and brushed a tendril of hair away from her face, his hand brushing against her cheek. She smiled, and they both inexplicably blushed. Strange that such a small innocent touch could make them flush after some of the other things they'd done together.

"You haven't danced with me yet,' she said softly.

Remus smiled, and stood up, holding out his hand. "Come on, we'll give Sirius a run for his money." Krystal laughed and took his hand.

They danced, Sirius and Mary joining them until someone switched the song and a slower one came on. Some of the teenagers left the dance floor, but many remained, arms around each other as they swayed together.

Krystal felt her heart race when Remus put his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close to him. A feeling of being protected; cherished came over her as he held her. She closed her eyes, her head against his shoulder and shivered as his hand ran across her back.

"I haven't given you my present,' he said, his voice husky. "Is it ok if I give it to you later; once everyone's gone?'

Krystal looked up at him and smiled. "Yeah,' she said, before adding cheekily, 'Is it a bit naughty?"

Remus shook his head and laughed. "No. You've got a filthy mind,' he joked.

"You love it,' she declared, then flushed. His smile faded a little and his face turned serious.

"Yeah, I do,' he said, his tone tender.

His hands moved up her arms and as he gazed at her, his fingers stroked her face and neck lightly; carefully, as if he was afraid she would break. Krystal swallowed hard against the lump that had suddenly risen in her throat. Her hands moved to the back of his neck, pulling his head to her. She cupped his face, running her thumbs along his jaw, their foreheads resting against each other as they continued to sway to the music.

Remus' thumb traced the line of her bottom lip before he leant forward to kiss her gently. He pulled her closer to him and they wrapped their arms around each other. Burying her face in his neck, she kissed the skin under her mouth as his fingers found the thin strap of her dress and moved it slightly aside, lowering his head to kiss her shoulder.

"Krystal,' called Alice, near the door. "There are parents here." Embraces broke all around the dance floor as parents began to arrive to collect their children.

"Finally,' smiled Remus, getting a grin from Krystal in return. Lily gave Krystal a big hug before she left, telling her to call her tomorrow. James and Sirius lingered as they waited for James' dad. Krystal, talking with James, saw Sirius and Remus speaking in low tones off to the side, and, as Mr Potter pulled up in his car, Remus put his hand on Sirius' shoulder and nodded at him.

Remus and Krystal walked quickly inside, shutting the door behind them. "Is he alright?' Krystal asked Remus, who nodded.

"I think he's hurting more than he lets on, but he'll be happier in the long run,' he said, frowning a little as he picked up his overnight bag. She watched him and for a moment, they looked nervously at one another.

"Krys, if you're not sure about this…" Remus began, but she stopped him with a shake of her head.

"I'm sure. Very sure,' she replied, taking his hands. "Are you?' she asked, with a small frown.

He smiled and leant over, kissing her softly. "I'm positive,' he murmured against her lips, following her as she led him up the stairs to her room.

They took off their shoes and sat on her bed. Curling up like a cat on the covers, Krystal asked how his transformation had gone this month. Remus frowned and admitted it was harder than usual without his friends to distract him. He'd done some damage - Krystal insisting on seeing, frowning when he undid his shirt, pushing it open and exposing his scars. Biting her lip, she ran her finger over a particularly long one on his upper arm. She heard his sigh, and looked up at him. He was staring at her, a look of longing on his face.

After a moment, she leaned forward and gently kissed him. He let her - closing his eyes as he let her take his face in her hands, kissing him softly. Soon, though he wasn't content to sit still, his hands reaching for her shoulders, moving them both slowly so that they were lying on the bed; Krystal on top of him as their kiss deepened, their tongues tracing over each other's lips.

Remus moved his hands to her head, frustrated by her braid. His fingers found the hair band and gently pulled it out, allowing her hair to fall around their faces. He pushed his hands into it, feeling the strands brushing against his cheek now. They made out for a while, until their breath was coming faster and heat was beginning to build up uncomfortably in their bodies.

Remus ran his hands up Krystal's back, and felt for the zipper of her dress, pulling it slowly down. He parted the material, feeling her move so he could pull it over her head. He moaned slightly when he saw she wasn't wearing a bra, and her uncovered breasts rubbed against him as she lay back down on him.

Krystal was kissing his neck now, as his hands ran over her bare back. She tugged at his shirt, and Remus sat up, so, sitting in his lap, she could slide it off his shoulders. Her breasts now made full contact with his skin, and they both gasped a little in each other's mouths as they kissed again, their lips more urgent now as they sat face to face,

Krystal's hands moved to Remus' pants, and she undid his fly, sliding her thumbs into the sides and pulling down. Lifting his butt, Remus pulled both his pants and underwear all the way off, closing his eyes when he felt Krystal's thin lacy underwear against him; the only barrier between them now.

She was straddling him, kissing along his shoulder. Their chests were pressed together, she pulled back a little so her hands could brush over his nipples. Remus' hands moved to cup her breasts, leaning back so he could take a nipple in his mouth, hearing Krystal's sharp intake of breath and the stilling of her hands as she moved them to his head.

'God, Remus,' she whispered as he teased her nipples with his mouth and fingers. He could feel her beginning to press herself against him. He refused to give into her impatience tonight, although it was difficult when her hands moved again, wandering down his stomach to touch his erection gently.

He pushed her back, so she was now lying on her back with him over her. He kissed her, allowing it to get heated before tearing his mouth away to move down her neck. She groaned when she felt his teeth on her breast, arching up into his touch.

Moving down her body, he kissed and licked her skin, until he reached the lacy edge of her underwear. Running his tongue along the edge, he felt her hips lifting, and a shiver shook her. Remus pushed aside the elastic, kissing the flesh he'd revealed. She moaned impatiently, and he felt his restraint slip, pulling her underwear down a little rougher than he'd intended.

He kissed her inner thigh, the smell of her arousal causing a painful reaction in him. Gritting his teeth for a second, he stopped, regaining some control. Sliding his fingers along her, he felt her dampness and groaned into her skin, hearing her answering groan as his tongue lapped at her, finding the spot that made her gasp and press herself against him. She tasted incredible and he felt himself tightening. He moved his fingers faster, knowing she was very close. When he scraped his teeth over her, he heard her cry and felt her hips rise, her body shaking as she tightened around his fingers.

When he felt her relaxing, he removed his fingers, sucking them and enjoying hearing her soft curse as she watched him. He kissed her, slowing down now as he stroked his hands over her body, both arousing her again, and helping him to reign himself in.

In only a few minutes, he felt her nipples harden against his hand, and hearing her make a soft noise in her throat, he bent his head back to them. She began to move her hips against him, and he slid his hand back down between them, stroking her again, feeling her jump a little, but there was no objection.

He was aching now, he was so hard. He took a few deep breaths, and moved his mouth back up to hers, kissing her hungrily, knowing he couldn't hold off any longer.

"Krys,…" he began, but she interrupted him.

"Please, Remus. I want you inside me,' she whispered, and he felt his control begin to slip. Shifting so he was pressed up against her heat, he began to move a little at a time, feeling the tip of him slide inside her. He gasped, his lungs emptying at the sensation, feeling an almost overwhelming urge to slam himself into her.

Shaking now as he tried to hang onto his self control, he watched her face as he moved again. She had a look of complete trust on her face, and it was all he could do to hold on. He closed his eyes, feeling himself sliding further into her heat with each small, slow thrust. Her hips were lifting to meet him, and he moved a little too hard. He heard her gasp and felt a barrier, stopping him from going any further.

"Krys,' he said, his voice low and hoarse. "I can try and go easy, but it might be better if I just do this quickly."

She nodded, and whispered, 'Just do it." He leaned forward and kissed her, waiting until she was responding heatedly before thrusting quickly, feeling the barrier give way as he slid all the way into her.

She cried out into his mouth, and clenched her eyes closed. He felt her body tense, and gasped as she tightened around him. Nearly coming undone by the feel of her body encasing him, Remus held himself still, thinking of anything other than what he was doing, trying to curb his desire to let go.

"Ok?' he asked, when he felt her body begin to relax again.

She smiled up at him and nodded. "I think it's alright. It feels ok now,' she said, grabbing his head and kissing him gently, then harder as his hand strayed, moving down her body to her soft curls, flicking at her sensitive clit. Her hips rose, and Remus groaned.

She smiled and did it again, but he moved with her this time, pulling back as her hips touched the bed. She moaned as his fingers teased her, wrapping a leg around him, pulling him deep inside her again. They both groaned in unison, and Remus knew he'd just about reached the limits of his control.

"Krys, I don't know how much longer I can hang on,' he ground out, burying his face in her neck as they moved against each other again.

"Remus, I'm so close. Keep going. Please?' she implored him, her hands sliding to his hips and pulling him towards her. Surprised, but now losing hold of what little restraint remained, he thrust into her harder, his movements quickly becoming erratic as he got closer to his own release. Seeing her bite her lip, he moved his hand, rubbing her again. He felt Krystal's hips rise sharply and she let out hoarse cry.

He knew she was just about there, and he pushed into her, whispering in her ear with some difficulty, "I want to feel you come while I'm inside you, Krys."

She moaned deep in her throat and pushed her hips up, as he felt a spasm rip through her. He groaned when he felt her tighten around him, squeezing him. He thrust hard into her once more before he exploded, tremors rocking him as he called out her name and held her tight against him.

Krystal felt him shuddering and reached for him, pulling his face to hers and kissing him. He responded passionately, almost bruising her lips as he came down from his release, but, as his mind became clear again, his mouth became gentler and soon he was kissing her tenderly. He cupped her chin in one hand as they kissed, his breathing still coming in pants.

As their mouths broke apart, he let out a groan and collapsed on her, making her giggle. His head was on her breast, and she felt him let out a breath of laughter, before he pushed himself back up on his elbows.

"Are you alright?' he asked, semi urgently. "Did I hurt you? I know I got a bit rough towards the end."

Krystal shook her head and smiled at him, her eyes shining. "I'm fine. Better than fine,' she corrected. "I'm fucking amazing."

Remus grinned, and moved up to kiss her, saying, "You sure as hell are,' as his lips touched hers.

She gasped a little as he moved. He was still inside her, and slid deeper as he kissed her. He felt it too and moaned.

"You feel so good, Krys,' he said into her mouth as their kiss deepened. He could feel himself hardening again, and couldn't believe it. He heard her laugh softly and knew she'd felt it too.

"Can you just give me a couple of minutes?' she said, grinning when he broke the kiss. "It doesn't hurt, but I am a little….' she paused as she searched for the right word. "Stretched,' she finally said, smacking him when he grinned proudly.

"Stop it,' she admonished him, although smiling herself.

As she spoke, Remus remembered what her mother had told him earlier, and slowly slid away from her, hearing her shaky breath when he slipped out of her. He noticed some blood on the sheets, and frowned. Determined now to try the spell her mother had mentioned, he found his wand in his bag and came back to the bed where she was sitting up now watching him.

"I've already done the spells,' she said, thinking that's what he was going to do.

"I know, this is a different spell,' he explained, pointing his wand at her abdomen. He cast a Cleansing Spell on both of them first, knowing how sticky she must be feeling inside. Taking a breath, he mumbled an incantation under his breath, quickly looking up at her when she gasped, "Shit, that's cold!"

He watched her as he saw her face change. After several seconds, she smiled broadly.

"What did you do?' she asked, feeling the stretched, sore sensation leave her.

Remus grinned. "Your mum showed me that,' he admitted, watching as she grimaced. "She and your dad…."

"Ok, ok!' she said loudly, holding up her hands to her ears. "I really don't want to know how she knows it." She lowered her hands and smiled at him, a little lasciviously. "I'm just glad she showed it to you."

His wand dropped out of his hand as she threw herself at him, kissing him hard. He responded enthusiastically, falling back onto the bed as they laughed. After a short make out session, they went downstairs to raid the fridge. Remus wearing only his pants, Krystal only his shirt and her knickers. They talked as they ate, unable to keep their hands from touching each other. Remus felt himself harden again when Krystal licked jam off her fingers and the sight of her barely covered ass, bending over to get the milk out of the fridge was too much for him. He grabbed her, spinning her around and kissing her frantically.

Her arms came up to wrap around him, feeling her body respond quickly. Remus looked a little surprised as she pushed him back into a kitchen chair, then straddled his lap. "You're not too sore?' he asked, as her wandering hands brushed over the front of his pants. She shook her head, her lips on his neck.

"Are you sure?' he argued, even as his own hands moved to her hips and pulled her nearer.

She looked up at him, a slightly annoyed look on her face. "If you don't want to,…' she began, rising off him, but he pulled her back down to him, kissing her hotly. Irritation forgotten, she pressed herself into him, getting a little frustrated by her inability to get leverage.

"This chair is too damn high,' she complained against his lips.

Pulling away, he stood up, holding her to him. Krystal laughed, and wrapped her arms and legs tight around him. They kissed as Remus staggered to the living room, and, unable to make it up the stairs on his now trembling legs, collapsed upright onto the couch, with her straddling his lap. He shifted so he could pull Krystal close to him, and heard her groan as she pressed herself against his groin.

"Much better,' she said, and he moaned in agreement as her mouth found his nipples, her hands working on his fly. She could feel him rubbing against her and suddenly wanted him to be inside her more than anything. Remus too, felt himself rapidly becoming fully aroused, fumbling urgently at the buttons on his shirt that she was wearing. When he felt her hand slip inside his pants and stroke him, the very loose hold he'd had on his restraint vanished. He yanked the lapels of the shirt, tearing the buttons off as he pulled the shirt off her. He heard her chuckle then gasp as he lowered his head to her breast, biting her nipple lightly while she grasped his head.

Both of them lost control. Krystal tugged Remus' pants down, releasing him so she could stroke him, teasing him almost beyond reason. He thrust up into her hand, then moved his hands down to her butt, cupping it, before sliding his hand between her legs, into her underwear, pushing his fingers inside her. Both of them moaned and Krystal didn't want to wait any longer.

She shoved her underwear down, pulling only one leg out before moving back to Remus' lap. Sensing her need, he pushed his pants down further, and held her hips as she moved over him. She bit her lip as she felt the tip of him enter her, and holding her breath, sank down until he was completely buried in her. There was no pain, no barriers. They were a perfect fit.

Remus gripped her hips when she tried to move, his head thrown back against the cushions as he shook it.

"Just give me a minute,' he said harshly, gritting his teeth as he throbbed.

She grinned and kissed his exposed neck, hearing him groan, "God!", as she grazed her teeth over his thin skin.

His head came up and he kissed her hard, holding her close as she began to move, his fingers digging into her ass.

Their moans mingled as they were both quickly taken to the edge of passion. Krystal felt Remus' mouth on her neck, telling her in between kisses how she was making him crazy. When she felt him tense and whisper, "Krys, now. Please!", she felt something break in her, and convulsions took over.

She gripped his shoulders, her face pressed into his neck as she whispered his name against his skin. Remus let go as well as the first spasm overtook her, pulling her hips tight against him, trying to get as deep into her as he could. Shaking uncontrollably, he buried his head in her hair, saying her name over and over.

Still now, but shaking, Remus let go of her hips, running his hands up her back, pressing her to him, still feeling it wasn't close enough. Krystal moved her head, breathing heavily as she rested her forehead against his, as his hands moved to the back of her head, tangling in her hair. Tremors were still intermittently shaking them, and his lips were quivering as he leant forward and kissed her lightly, raising her head so he could look at her face.

"I love you, Krys." His words were soft but sure.

She moved, brushing her lips over his, before she said in a shaking voice, "I love you too, Remus."

Lying in her bed together much later, the first rays of sun beginning to shine through the curtains, Remus remembered he hadn't yet given her his gift. Ignoring her complaints, he got out of bed and took a small package from his bag. He slipped back into bed next to her, and handed her the present, watching nervously as she opened it.

"Remus." His name came out as a whisper as she pulled the gold necklace out of the small box. She looked at him with wide eyes, then looked back down at the necklace. The chain held a charm - a filigree heart. 'It's beautiful.'

"Here,' he said, his voice cracking a little. He took the fine gold chain off her and reached around her neck to put it on, kissing her shoulder as he moved away.

"Do you like it? Dad said men should never choose jewellery for their girlfriends unless they've been told exactly what to get, but…."

His sentence went unfinished as Krystal kissed him, putting everything she was feeling into it. When she pulled away, he looked a little stunned.

"I love it,' she said, holding the finely made charm in her hand. She looked up at him and smiled. "And I love you."

Remus grinned at her words, and kissed her, pushing her back onto the pillows. "You'd better love me,' he growled as he nipped at her ear. "My dad absolutely flogged me over the last two weeks so I could pay him back."

She giggled as he tickled her ribs. "I'm worth it, aren't I?' she teased, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Looking down at her, his face turning serious as he nodded. 'You're worth it,' he whispered before kissing her.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hiya! Thanks for reading - even though reviews are sssssllllloooowwwww.**

**Thanks The Fleaks and I love your rambling reviews - don't stop.**

**WARNING: No plot whatsoever in this shorter chapter - just sex. Sorry, I know how much you hate the sex...just try to get through it as best you can!**

Chapter Sixteen

Krystal woke up the next afternoon, feeling Remus behind her; his arms around her, his legs entwined in hers. She smiled to herself and pressing herself closer to him. She could hear that he was still asleep, but something awoke as she wriggled her ass against him.

Grinning, she carefully rolled over, trying not to wake him. He rolled onto his back as she shifted, and she propped herself up on her elbow, lifting the sheet once he stopped moving. Biting her lip, she gazed down at him, marvelling that she'd managed to fit that inside her.

Losing her smile, she felt a prickle of desire. She'd been unsure the first time she'd used her mouth on him, but watching his reaction to her then had turned her on, as well as making her feel strangely powerful. Remembering how he'd tasted was making heat pool in her lower body, and she made a decision.

Sliding down the bed slowly she kissed his hip, then his stomach, feeling the muscles under his skin clench. She looked up: he was still sleeping, but she could see his body reacting to her touch. Crawling over him, she licked the tip of his shaft, running her tongue over the silky soft skin. She felt him twitch, and smiled.

She ran her fingers over him, letting them wander between his legs to caress him, and saw his breathing speed up, although he remained asleep. Krystal moved slightly, and took him in her mouth, moving on him as she heard a groan. She swished her tongue over the tip of him, and drew him deeper, experimenting with different angles. She heard him moan again when she lightly scraped her teeth over him, and felt his hips rising to meet her movements.

"Krys,' a sleep roughened voice gasped and, looking up, she saw him staring down at her, finally awake. Hearing his breath coming in pants, she flicked her tongue over him again, echoing his loud moan, and hearing a curse slipping from his lips. His hands had come up to move through her hair and he applied a little pressure to her head, helping her move faster as he got closer.

Remus was moving frantically now, and she heard his whispered warning, before he let go, shuddering violently and groaning loudly. Krystal swallowed hard, several times, before he stopped moving and she felt his hands on her arms, pulling her up.

He just stared at her for a moment, his breathing laboured. She could feel his galloping heart beat under her as she lay on his chest. His hands moved back to her head and he pulled her towards him, kissing her passionately; deeply. When they broke apart, Krystal was breathing as heavily as he was.

"If I could just invent an alarm clock that would wake you like that every morning, I'd be a very rich man,' he murmured against her neck, his lips brushing over her now sensitized skin. She laughed softly, then moaned as his hands ran down her back to her ass, cupping it tightly.

"You have the most amazing ass, did you know?' he said, sitting up so he could kiss her breast, smiling when he heard her moan again. He lay back on the pillows, taking her with him, kissing her hotly, before rolling them over so he was now lying on top of her.

His mouth moved down her body, until he reached her core, quickly bringing her to the edge before he stopped. He laughed when he heard the loud, tortured profanity rip from her lips, but gasped and bit down on his lip when he slid his renewed erection inside her. She cursed again, this time softer as he began to thrust into her, feeling her muscles begin to grip him almost immediately.

"Fuck, you're tight,' he let slip as he felt her trembling begin, his words sending her arching up into him, letting out a loud cry. Remus thrust twice more before he joined her, surprising even himself with how quickly she made him lose control.

They lay still, limbs tangled until their breathing slowed and heart rates returned to normal. Remus shifted, hearing her soft sound of complaint as he slid out of her body. He rearranged himself, so that he wasn't so heavy on her, and pulled her close, wondering if he'd ever be able to sleep without her again as they both drifted off.

The next few days went by quickly. Remus and Krystal spent most of their day's becoming familiar with each other's bodies, knowing their time alone together was limited. Lily dragged them out to the pool once; meeting James, with whom she'd been spending a lot of time; and Sirius, who was still staying with the Potter's. They lounged around; James barely able to take his eyes off Lily, Remus having the same problem with Krystal, who was wearing her favourite blue bikini. Sirius divided his oggling between the girls, although Remus noticed his friends' eyes slipping back to Krystal quite a bit.

'I can't blame him,' he thought, eyeing Krystal's legs, recalling how they were wrapped around him just hours ago.

Lily grumpily admired Krystal's tan; as did the boys, receiving a smack from the girls, who promptly left them to go for a swim. Three pairs of eyes were on them as they walked to the pool. Remus wished that he and Krystal were alone again - that bikini was driving him crazy.

Sirius laughed at him. "You're so whipped,' he said, laying back on his towel. Remus laughed as well and nodded as he lay back on his elbows, still watching Krystal.

'So,' said James, rolling onto his stomach and looking at Remus. "Did it happen?" Remus remained silent, but his broad grin gave him away.

"God, I'm jealous,' Sirius groaned, sitting up to look over at Krystal again. "I'll bet she's hot. Is she hot? Come on, Remus,' he complained, when Remus remained silent. "We're living vicariously through you at the moment. You've got to give us something!" Remus didn't want to share most of what had happened between them, but couldn't help bragging a little.

"Well, I won't tell you that we haven't gotten out of bed for two days, except when we were on the couch that time, and I won't tell you about how she chose to wake me up the other morning,' he said, chuckling at the looks on their faces.

"Shit! I knew it!' exclaimed Sirius, closing his eyes and shaking his head. James and Remus laughed at him, and talk turned to James' progress with Lily, at which point James went into raptures about how wonderful she was.

They were unaware that they were being watched from the water by Lily and Krystal, who were also talking about the last few days. "Did it hurt?' asked Lily, as she floated in the water.

Krystal nodded. "Yeah, a bit at first, but it got a lot better quickly."

Lily smiled. "How much better?' she said, slyly.

Krystal flushed, but couldn't help beaming as she answered, 'Lils, it was incredible. He was really careful and gentle, and he made sure it was really good for me - every time. Sometimes twice." She raised her eyebrows.

Lily looked at her with a grin. 'Every time? You've only had two and a half days together. How many times are we talking about?' She gasped as Krystal held up eight fingers. 'Jesus, you two are insatiable."

Krystal giggled and shook her head ruefully. "I can't keep my hands off him,' she admitted, looking over at him.

"You're so lucky that your parents let you do this, Krys,' Lily said, looking over towards the boys as well. "I can't seem to get a moment by myself between my parents and Petunia."

"By yourself, or with someone special,' grinned Krystal, getting a splash of water in the face from Lily.

After she retaliated and a quick fight broke out, she asked more seriously, "How is it going with James?"

Lily smiled and it was her turn to blush. "Good. He's a really great person, Krys. He listens to me and treats me like a princess. And he's an amazing kisser,' she confided. She looked at Krystal speculatively.

'Sometimes twice, huh?' she said with a smile. Both girls giggling then screaming when three splashes sent water flooding over them.

Later that night, all five of them sat around Krystal's living room with a bottle of Firewhiskey, full shot glasses in front of them. "Ok,' said James. "I have never been naked in public."

He and Sirius took a drink, getting a cheer from the others.

They were playing, 'I have never.." in which each person made a statement about something they had done, and anyone else who had also done it had to take a drink. Thanks to their numerous pranks, and Sirius' active love life, he and James'd had the most to drink by this point.

"My turn,' said Lily, picking up her drink. "I have never kissed someone of my own sex."

Silence greeted this statement, and then Lily and Krystal raised their glasses and downed their drink.

"You have to tell us that story now,' said James, staring at Lily, his face red. Remus too looked at Krystal, stunned but suddenly incredibly turned on.

"Well,' said Lily, looking mischievously over to Krystal. 'We wanted to make sure we were ready for boyfriends. It was in our first year."

The girls giggled at the looks on the girls' faces, the Lily stood up after catching sight of the clock on the bookcase. "Shit! I should have been home ten minutes ago,' she said. After saying goodbye, Lily left to walk the short distance to her home.

"Can we still stay tonight?' asked James.

"Course you can,' said Krystal, putting away the Firewhiskey, and quickly washing out the glasses. She showed them to the spare room next to hers, and she and Remus said goodnight.

She just got the door shut when Remus grabbed her and pushed her up against the wall, kissing her hard. Responding to his urgency, she groaned, kissing him back. Her hands moved to his shirt and pulled it over his head, as his hands slid up under her shirt, covering her breasts and teasing her nipples with his fingers. Gasping, she yanked her shirt off, feeling his hands moving to pull down her bikini top, his mouth moving to her quickly.

Krystal put her hands on his shoulders and lifted herself, needing to get closer to him. Remus groaned and his hands moved to his fly, undoing his pants and shoving them down his legs, kicking them off. Krystal's feet sank back down flat on the ground, tearing down her shorts and bikini bottoms. Remus leaned against her, pushing her into the wall.

"I can't wait, Krys,' he moaned into her neck, his fingers moving between her legs to stroke her, relieved she was already wet and ready for him.

She parted her legs, lifting one to wrap around his waist. "Do you think you can lift me?' she asked, just as eager as him. She felt him groan, and his hands moved to her ass, lifting her, using the wall for leverage. Krystal felt him push against her, and moved her hips, closing her eyes when she felt him push roughly inside her.

"Ok?' he asked, stilling for a moment, concerned he'd been too forceful.

"Do it again,' she whispered urgently, trying to move on him. It had hurt a little, but she found herself even more turned on by the slight sting.

Remus did it again, and they both gasped.

The new angle made him hit spots that quickly sent Krystal over the edge, biting down on Remus' neck hard. He moaned and slammed himself into her, swearing loudly as he came deep within her.

The next morning, Remus packed his bag, preparing to leave as Krystal's parents were due back that evening.

"How am I going to get through the rest of the holiday's with no time alone with you?' she complained, still naked in bed.

He smiled, a little sadly. "I know,' he said, sitting on the bed next to her. "Now I know what I'm missing…"

She poked him, and he laughed, kissing her before hearing a knock on the door.

"Hey, guys,' Sirius said, poking his head around the door. "We're starving. We let you sleep - we could hear what a late night you had, but we need feeding now."

He grinned as they both blushed. They'd forgotten to put up any Silencing Charms.

'Get dressed, I'll find something for them,' Remus said, kissing her again, letting it linger until Sirius called out, "Either feed me or let me join in. I'm fine with either."

Krystal grinned. "Hmm! What do you think? Let him join in?' Remus smiled and kissed her.

'I don't know if I could share you,' he murmured, moving his mouth to her neck, listening to her tiny moan before releasing her.

"Gotta go,' he said, getting off the bed and moving quickly to the door before he changed his mind.

Her parents arrived home earlier than they expected, catching them unawares. Hearing the car in the drive, Krystal, quickly moved off Remus' lap, buttoning up her shirt and adjusting her skirt, while Remus yanked his t shirt on, and frantically scrambled to do up his fly. They were both watching television on the couch when her parents walked in, still a little pink in the face.

'Hi!' Krystal said, bouncing up off the couch and hugging her parents.

"Hello, sweetheart,' her mother said, looking over to the couch with a knowing smile. "Hello, Remus.'

He stood up, thanking the gods that the sight of her parents seemed to deflate him quickly. 'Hi, Mrs O'Connor, Mr O'Connor.'

Krystal's father seemed a little strained in his greetings, and Krystal looked at her mother in concern as he took their bags upstairs.

'It's fine, honey,' Mrs O'Connor said, patting her arm. 'I told him, and he's not happy, but he knows you're an adult now.' She glanced over at Remus. 'It may be an idea, though, to be careful not to flaunt it - for a little while at least.'

Krystal nodded, and her mother yawned. 'I think we're going to take a nap before dinner. We'll get some takeout later. Seven o'clock alright?'

Krystal nodded again, and her mother hugged her, whispering that they would talk later. 'You'll stay for dinner, Remus?' Mrs O'Connor asked, as she walked up the stairs.

'If that's alright,' he said, looking at her. She smiled and nodded before disappearing into her bedroom.

'So. What do you want to do for three hours?' asked Krystal, grinning slyly at Remus. He grinned back, saying, 'I can think of several things, none of which your parents would approve of."

Biting her lip, she moved closer to him, her hands moving to his hips as she whispered in his ear. 'Kids know a lot about the area they grow up in - including the best hiding places. I'll show you some if you like.'

He did like, and she took his hand, taking him to the back of the garden, glancing back at the house before dragging him through the fence into the trees behind the yard. They walked for a few minutes, until they came across a run down little cottage.

'This is my old cubby,' she explained, ducking as she walked through the open doorway. 'Lily and I used to play here when we were little.'

Remus was bent over in the small playhouse, and looked around. Krystal used her wand to clean an old blanket, spreading it out on the ground and sitting down.

She leant back on her arms, and looked up at him.

'Are you joining me?' she asked with a smile. He smiled back, and fell down next to her, pulling her to him. They laughed and Remus rolled over, Krystal on top of him.

'Now, where were we before we were interrupted?' he said, gasping when her hand slid down to the front of his pants.

'About here,' she replied, moving her lips to his neck. 'And I think you were about here,' she said, moving his hand to her breast, moaning as his fingers found her nipple.

'Are you sure they won't come looking for us here?' he said, closing his eyes as her hands made short work of his fly.

'Uh huh,' she said, distractedly as she slid off him, and yanked his pants down to his ankles.

'Krys…..'he began, but his words were forgotten as her lips made their way up his thigh. 'Krys,' he groaned, as her mouth found him. He grasped her head as it moved on him, bringing him to the edge before he pulled away, rolling her over and kissing her as he reached under her skirt and hurriedly removed her underwear. He slipped his fingers into her, bending his head to use his tongue on her, making her arch into the air.

He lapped at her hungrily, holding her still with his hands on her hips. When her moans started to run together, and her hips moved frantically against his attempts to still her, he stopped; sliding up her body and pushing into her, feeling her heat all around him. They moved together urgently for several seconds, before Krystal, already on the edge, let out a cry, and he felt her body tense around him, clutching at him. With a loud groan, he found his own release, burying his face in her hair as he exploded deep inside her.

He collapsed on top of her, and they stayed still until their breathing slowed.

'We're getting good at this,' she said, hearing him laugh. He lifted himself, and looked down at her.

'I think this could become an addiction,' he murmured, kissing her. She giggled and wrapped her arms around him, responding to his kiss unreservedly.

'We're going to have to do a lot of sneaking around at school to be together,' she said, a little later, her hands under his shirt, tracing his scars as she lay on his chest.

'Mmm,' he replied, distracted by her moving fingers. 'We'll have to be careful.'

She nodded, and felt a wave of sadness as she realised she'd be sleeping alone tonight. Clutching him tighter to her, she closed her eyes and sighed.

'How am I going to sleep without you tonight?' he whispered, startling her. She turned to look up at him, seeing him looking as sad as she felt.

'I was just wondering that myself,' she said with a tiny smile. She moved so she was lying across him, and kissed him softly. He took her head in his hands and kissed her back, gently, tenderly, making both of them shiver.

'I love you,' she said against his lips, feeling him smile at her words.

'I love you,' he returned, before deepening their kiss.

The rest of the holidays passed incredibly quickly, and soon the new Seventh Years were walking up the stairs of Hogwarts to their common room. Lily and James were Head Boy and Girl, much to the amusement of Sirius, who wondered about Dumbledore's sanity; making James Head boy.

Lily whispered the spell for the stairs to Krystal, saying that she planned on spending some time in James' room that night, and that Remus may like to visit their room for a change.

'I don't know if Sirius and Peter could cope with two couples in the room,' she said with a smile.

'Lily Evans!' gasped Krystal in mock shock. 'Are you suggesting I have a boy in my room?'

Lily grinned. 'You can have him wherever you like - probably have, randy cow,' she replied cheekily with a wink. Krystal laughed and threw herself across her friend's bed.

'So, spending the night or just visiting the boys' room?' she asked, watching Lily's face redden.

'Visiting,' she answered.

'Are you sure?' Krystal said, seeing her slight frown.

Lily looked up at her. 'It's too soon to stay, but…'

Krystal read her friends' mind without letting down her block. 'But you want to?' she said. Lily nodded.

Krystal grinned. 'Head girl five minutes and you're already breaking the rules,' she joked, getting off the bed before Lily's swipe could make contact. 'Now if you'll excuse me. I have to go and let my boyfriend into my room so I can shag his brains out.'

Lily laughed as Krystal left the room.

Remus looked around their room as he entered. He'd never been in here before.

'It's nicer than ours,' he commented, sitting on Krystal's bed.

'It's the smell,' said Krystal, standing in front of him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. 'Not so much like old socks.'

Remus laughed and slipped his arms around her waist. 'I missed you last week,' he said, looking up at her. She frowned, remembering the extra recovery time he'd needed from his latest transformation.

'I missed you too,' she said, lowering her head to kiss him quickly. He leaned back, moving his hands to her head and running his thumbs over her creased forehead.

'It's fine, Krys,' he said soothingly. 'Stop torturing yourself. We're going to have to deal with this every month for the rest of our lives; you can't keep making yourself so sick over it.'

She smiled at him a little shyly. 'For the rest of our lives, huh?' she teased, her smile widening, watching his face get pink as she repeated his words. 'Is that a proposal?'

She giggled as he dropped back onto the bed, dragging her with him before he rolled them over, looking down at her.

'An assumption,' he said seriously. 'Probably one I shouldn't be making for us both. I already know that I want to spend my life with you, Krys. But I won't propose until we're older - well, at least not until we've left Hogwarts.'

He smiled at her surprised face. 'Sorry if it's a bit soon to be thinking like this, but I've loved you since I met you. This isn't a new feeling for me.'

Krystal looked up at him, her eyes searching his. 'I can't imagine being without you, Remus. I don't want to imagine being without you. I'd agree to marry you tomorrow, if I didn't think my father would kill you slowly and painfully.'

He grinned. 'So. No marriage proposals until we've left Hogwarts,' he agreed, taking her face in his hands and drawing her to him, kissing her gently.

Their lips teased each other softly, tongues flicking at the other. Breathing rapidly, Krystal's lips moved down to his neck, pressing her mouth against his skin, his soft moan sending heat rushing through her. She felt his hand raise to cast the Silencing Spells and draw the curtains, and then he reached for her, holding her as if he would never let go.


	17. Chapter 17

**Sigh! It wouldn't be fan fiction if they were happy, would it? **

**WARNING: Something angsty this way comes. (Oh, but there's sex first.)**

Chapter Seventeen

Classes were ridiculously difficult now, leaving very little leisure time, much to both Lily and Krystal's frustration. Both girls were spending so much time on homework, they had very little time for their boyfriends. Remus and James were also finding the lack of spare time aggravating.

'I'm so frustrated I might just explode if Krys so much as looks at me,' Remus complained to Sirius one night at dinner before the Christmas holidays. 'Not much danger of that happening though. If she's not studying, she's tutoring the Fifth Years. And if she's free, I've either got prefect duty or it's the full moon.'

Sirius laughed. 'See, the problem with relationships is that you think you have to put a bit of effort into sex. If you were happy just to have a quickie in the hall closet, you'd be a whole lot more satisfied.'

'I'd settle for a quickie right now,' Remus grumbled, poking his potato. 'It'd be damn quick, that's for sure. It's been nearly a month, for God's sake.'

Sirius laughed again as James joined them. 'Jesus, I cannot get a minute alone with Lily lately,' he complained, looking annoyed when Sirius and Remus both laughed.

'There's only so much I can take, Lily,' said Krystal as they walked into the hall for dinner. 'If I don't get some time alone with him soon, I'm going to jump him in the Dining hall one night and have my way with him on the staff table. It's been a month on Saturday since we were last together.' She let out a long breath as she recalled that night in his room and she squirmed a little remembering what his tongue had done to her. Heat flowed over her and her knees went a little weak.

Lily laughed then added her own complaints. Things between her and James had heated up fairly quickly, and she confided in Krystal that, although they were yet to go all the way, that was the only step left to take.

'Now I know why you woke me up screaming that time,' she'd said, grinning.

They walked over to the boys at the table, sitting down.

'Jeez, don't tell me we actually get to eat together tonight,' Krystal exclaimed, kissing Remus quickly on the top of his head, seeing Professor McGonagall's disapproving stare.

He sighed. 'No, we don't,' he said, turning to her. 'I have to go. Prefect's meeting, then hall monitor duty tonight till midnight. That's why I ate early.'

Krystal let out a frustrated growl. 'This is getting ridiculous, Remus,' she hissed, leaning over so they wouldn't be overheard. 'We have to get some time alone.'

He looked at her as she spoke, his eyes drawn to her lips. 'I know. Sirius reckons a quickie in the closet would be enough for him but…..'

Krystal frowned. 'It'd do me at the moment too.'

They looked at each other, a smile breaking across their faces.

'How long till that meeting?' she asked.

'About ten minutes,' he answered, feeling himself harden in anticipation.

'Plenty of time,' she said, getting up quickly. 'Might be able to do it twice.'

He laughed as she took his hand and they left the hall. Remus dragged her up the stairs to a deserted corridor.

'Filtch keeps his cleaning stuff in here,' he said, screwing up his nose as he opened the cupboard door.

'I don't give a rat's ass if he keeps dead bodies in here, Remus,' she said, pushing him in and slamming the door behind her. She lit her wand, and locked the door, groaning as she felt his hands move to her breasts.

'Ouch,' she heard as a mop fell over onto his arm. 'It's too cramped in here,' he muttered.

'Haven't you got anything better to do with that mouth than complain,' she said, crankily. He grinned and flicked his finger over her nipple, catching her moan in his mouth as he kissed her hungrily, pushing her up against the door.

Their hands were frantic. Krystal shoved his pants down to his knees, hearing him grunt when she closed her hand around his cock. His hand had been moving under her skirt and she felt him yank at her underwear, hearing it tear. The sound inexplicably turned her on and she groaned.

She felt his fingers move inside her, but she didn't have the patience to wait, saying desperately, 'Remus, please. Just fuck me, ok?'

She heard a definite growl as he spun her around so she was now facing the door. Feeling a little faint when she felt his hand parting her legs, she pushed her ass back, grinding it against him. She heard his hiss and felt him shove up her skirt. Suddenly, he had pushed roughly into her, making her bang her head on the door. Not noticing the pain of her bruised head, she nearly blacked out at the pleasure that swamped her when she felt him slide inside her. He pulled her hips back as he thrust into her again, groaning as he felt her soft, wet heat all around him.

'Christ, Krys. This isn't going to last long,' he moaned into her ear as he began to thrust hard and fast into her. 'You feel too bloody good.'

His words and his lips against her ear nearly sent her over the edge. She moved his hand around between her legs, and, taking the hint, he stroked her clit firmly twice before she started to convulse, pushing hard back against him. Krystal bit her lip, tasting blood, as she tried to hold back her scream. She felt him bite her shoulder as he slammed into her once more then gripped her to him as he came as well, shuddering and moaning into her neck.

They stood leaning against the door, panting. 'Two and a half minutes?' she guessed, hearing his laugh against her skin.

'Two, I reckon,' he said, pulling out of her gently and turning her around. ''Just fuck me', huh? You've got a real potty mouth when you're horny, you know.' He pulled his pants up, fastening them quickly.

She slapped his chest playfully. 'I said please! Anyway, you actually ripped my knickers off. I don't think you can talk about manners,' she said, feeling another rush of heat.

He grinned and leant over to kiss her, but pulled away.

'You're bleeding' he said, reaching for her wand and holding it up to see the injury. 'And you've got a lump on your head.' He frowned at her. 'Did I do that?' he asked, looking horrified.

She shook her head. 'I hit my head against the door, and I bit my lip to stop myself screaming, if you must know. It's all your fault,' she said, putting her arms around him. 'You're too damn good at what you do.'

He smiled and kissed her quickly. 'Here,' he said, pointing the wand at her mouth and whispering an incantation. She felt the bleeding stop and the wound close. He then lowered the wand and muttered a Cleansing Spell, and the Contraceptive spells as well.

'Thanks,' she said, reaching under her skirt and pulling off the remains of her underwear.

She grinned and reached around him to tuck them into a mop bucket. 'I'll leave them for Filtch - a little thank you gift for the use of his closet.'

Remus laughed and kissed her, pressing her up against the door again.

'I swear it'll last longer next time,' he promised, moving his mouth to her jaw.

'I'll hold you to that,' she said, a tiny moan escaping her as his lips crept down to her neck. Remus groaned as well, feeling himself getting hard again as he ran his tongue over her skin.

'I've got to go,' he mumbled, not lifting his mouth off her.

'Mmm,' she agreed, running her hands under his shirt.

Drawing in a breath when her finger brushed over his nipple, he moved his lips back to hers, kissing her hard.

They made out for a minute, then he made a noise in his throat, pulling away with a frown. 'I really do have to go,' he said apologetically, rubbing her arms.

She sighed. 'I know. Come on then,' she said.

She opened the door a crack, peeking out to make sure no one was around. They walked hand in hand back to the Dining Hall, where Lily and James were waiting for Remus.

'Where've you been?' she asked crankily. 'We should have been at the meeting a couple of minutes ago.' They couldn't hide their grins, and Lily flushed.

'God, you two are unbelievable.' She stomped off and James grinned as he followed, surreptitiously high fiving Remus as he went past.

Remus wrapped his arms around Krystal and kissed her, lifting her off the ground. 'Stay with me tonight?' he asked softly, when he set her down laughing.

She smiled ruefully at him. 'Early tutoring session with Sev tomorrow. We promised Sirius we'd never set the alarm that early again. Why don't you come up to me?'

He grinned and she remembered why he hadn't spent many nights in her room.

'Mary is surprisingly prudish about boys using her bathroom - particularly when she walks in on them in the middle of the night,' he said, laughing as he recalled the girls' face. Their laughter faded as they realised it would be another night without each other.

'Go,' she said, giving him a small smile. 'Lily will lecture you for days if you are too late.'

He looked at her sadly. 'See you tomorrow, I guess.' Krystal nodded, and watched him run up the stairs.

Christmas holidays didn't give Remus and Krystal any time together at all. The full moon fell on the first few days, then Remus' dad was ill, meaning Remus had to stay home and help out. Lily was busy with James, so Krystal hung out with Severus a bit. She was still concerned about Severus hanging around with the Dark Arts obsessed Slytherins, but every time she raised the subject, he brushed her off.

Seeing each other for the first time in two weeks, Krystal and Remus were again thwarted in their attempts to spend time together by the extra work that the teacher's laid on them to prepare them for their NEWT exams. It had now been several weeks since their few minutes in the closet, and they were both frustrated, and miserable.

'Hi! You're cute! You remind me of someone I used to go out with,' Krystal said one night to Remus as he flopped down next to her on the couch after returning from the infirmary after his monthly transformation. He gave her a tired smile, and laid his head on her lap, swinging his legs up onto the seat.

'I'm buggered,' he said, rubbing his eyes. She stroked his hair, smiling a little when she saw him close his eyes and heard his soft sigh. She looked down at his weary face, worried.

It had been a difficult change this month, probably due to his sexual frustration. He'd been particularly hard to control, Sirius had told her. He and the others still went with Remus each month, but he had scared them this time with his aggression. His injuries had been more severe than they had been for ages, and he'd spent a couple of days in the hospital wing recovering.

Knowing all this, Krystal had made a decision. 'I'm telling McGonagall I can't tutor the Fifth Years anymore,' she told him abruptly. 'She'll have to find someone else to do it.' He opened his eyes and looked up at her. 'And I'm cutting out my potions tutorials with Sev. I'm coming along alright now; it's mainly just revision for exams.'

Remus frowned and sat up. 'What's brought all this on?' he asked. She shook her head.

'I can't sleep without you anymore, and I'm so tired I can't concentrate. I'm trying to do everything and doing nothing well. I just want to focus on study and you.'

She saw him fight down a smile. 'Are you sure?' he said. She grinned and leaned over to kiss him.

'Positive,' she answered. He stopped fighting to hide his smile and let it spread over his face.

'So, does this mean you're staying with me tonight?' he asked. He slept badly without her now too.

'Yep! Starting in about an hour,' she said, a sly smile on her face.

"Why an hour? Let's go now,' he said, happy at the thought of his first good night's sleep in months.

Krystal shook her head. 'No. I've got something much better planned for now,' she said, her tone making him smile.

"Krys, I'm sorry, but I'm so tired….' he began, but she stopped him.

'Go and get James' Cloak,' she told him. 'And I'll show you what I've got in mind.'

The Prefects bathroom was empty when they snuck in under the Cloak.

'A bath,' she said, throwing the Cloak on a seat and kicking her shoes off. 'It'll help your sore muscles.'

He smiled at her gratefully, watching as she turned on the taps and hot, scented water flowed into the huge bath, filling it rapidly. It was a fantastic idea: he was always so sore for days after the full moon, and he felt a surge of love for her for thinking of him. The depth of his feelings for her still astounded him sometimes, and he was still smiling when she came over to him and began to take off his clothes. Despite his exhaustion, he felt himself stir as her hands brushed over the front of his pants. She shook her head, smiling a little when she pulled his pants off.

'Boys!' she admonished softly. Remus laughed, and slid into the bath, groaning a little as the hot water immediately began to work it's magic on his aching body.

Krystal watched him from the side of the bath as he groaned. She smiled and stripped her clothes off and walked down the stairs into the deep bath, sighing a little herself as the hot water washed her concerns away. They sat side by side for ten minutes, soaking in silence, then Krystal sat on the stone step and beckoned Remus to her.

'Sit on the step below me,' she ordered, 'and lean back a little.'

He did, and felt her hands on his shoulders, sliding over his hot skin, applying pressure to all the sore spots as they moved.

'Ouch,' he said, as she found a knot in a muscle.

'Sorry,' she murmured, frowning as she worked the knot with her fingers. 'You're so damn tense, Remus.'

For several minutes, Krystal massaged his shoulders, grumbling a little at how knotted up he was. Remus felt his body finally relaxing, the tension of the last few months leaving him. He sighed contentedly and leaned back into her, noticing for the first time how close her body was to his and how soft her skin felt.

Her thighs grip his waist as she moved, and her breasts were brushing against his back. Heat began to pool in his groin as she moved closer, her lower body now pressing against him. Getting harder by the second, he moaned as her hands moved to his arms, rubbing and caressing them as her felt her breath on his neck, prickling the sensitised skin there.

His eyes closed as her hands moved to his neck. He swallowed hard when he felt her fingers brushing over him, feeling a warm sensation that had nothing to do with the water temperature. He felt her kiss the back of his head, and the sweet gesture kicked off a reaction in him, and he couldn't stop himself acting on his impulse.

Turning on the step, he reached up and grabbed her head, kissing her deeply. He moved his mouth gently, but quickly down her throat and took a nipple in his mouth, hearing her gasp of surprise. Moving so he was in between her legs, he lifted her easily as the water made them both weightless, and ran his tongue over her ribs and stomach. 'Hang on to the side,' he whispered to her, as he lifted her hips above the water, lowering his head to lick and suck her, until she wrapped her legs around his neck and cried out his name, shuddering hard.

'Your turn,' she said, after a short recovery time. She floated in the water as she pushed him back onto the steps and kissed him, her mouth working its way down his body. Her mouth moved to cover him and he gasped, feeling her tongue circling him. He was beginning to feel himself coming undone when she stopped.

'Krys,' he said, roughly, opening his eyes in time to see her straddle him, her breasts in his face. He felt her slide onto him, her tight heat nearly sending him crashing over the edge. But she didn't move, waiting for him to regain some control, as she pushed against the step with her feet, pushing them out to float in the bath. She wrapped her legs around him as he stood in the chest deep water.

He smiled and she lowered her head to kiss him, softly and slowly, her tongue tracing his lips, making his chest ache with longing. Bringing her hands to his face, she deepened the kiss, beginning to move a little on him. He groaned, and his hands moved to her ass, shifting her; holding her, so she could take his entire length inside her, her groan of pleasure sending a shock through his body. His mouth moved to her breasts as her movements became quicker, his hands guiding her, helping her.

Remus moved through the water, and pressed her back up against the wall of the bath, now able to deepen his thrusts, and as he kissed her, he felt her shake and clench around him. She cried out into his mouth, as did he into hers as he also let go, pressing himself tight against her; as close as he could get, yet still not close enough for either of them. He was still coming down when he heard her whisper 'I love you,' against his lips. Kissing her, he said shakily, 'I love you too.'

'I can't believe you did that to him,' Krystal yelled at Remus several weeks later, fury in her eyes.

'Krys…' he tried to interrupt, but she was having none of it.

'You humiliated him, Remus. You all did.' She turned to look at the other three boys in the room, who's expressions were a combination of defiance and guilt.

The Marauders had struck again, but this time, their prank had humiliated Severus in front of the entire class. Krystal was furious, and refusing to listen to any excuse they gave for their behaviour.

'Krys, it was just a prank. He'll get over it,' James said flippantly, but involuntarily stepped back when Krystal rounded on him, eye's flashing silver.

'Will he?' she spat, disgust on her face. 'You don't know what harm your 'pranks' can cause, James.' She looked at him, Sirius and Peter. 'I expect this crap from you lot, but you…"

She turned back to Remus, who was frowning. 'You know he's my friend. Didn't that make you stop and think for a second about how I'd feel about this?'

Remus opened his mouth, but she put up her hand, magically freezing his words before he could get them out.

'Forget it. I know the answer. You didn't think at all. I asked you after last time to never go along with these pranks against Sev again. Well, I hope you're happy with your choice, Remus. And I hope you're just as happy sleeping alone and jerking off, because we're finished!'

Remus looked stunned as she spun on her heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the heavy wooden door behind her. He looked at his friends in disbelief.

'Did she just say we were finished?' he asked, unable to believe he'd heard her words correctly. They looked at each other, shocked themselves that Krystal was so angry that she'd dumped Remus.

'She doesn't mean it, Moony,' said Sirius, his face a bit pale. 'Once she calms down, she'll see it wasn't that big of a deal.' At least, he hoped she would.

Remus sank down onto his bed for a moment, then jumped up and ran out of the room, knocking some Third years flying as he ran after Krystal.

He saw Mary in the common room and grabbed her. 'Where's Krystal?' he asked urgently, ignoring the slightly scared look on her face.

'I don't know,' she stammered. He let go of her, calling out, 'Did anyone see where Krystal O'Connor went?'

The common room went quiet, then a Fifth Year boy said, 'Yeah, she left.' He pointed to the portrait hole, and Remus bolted, running down the corridor until he reached the courtyard. He looked around frantically, but saw no sign of her.

'Shit!' he swore loudly, hearing the giggles of a couple of Second Years behind him. Turning, he glared at them, and their giggles turned to yelps of fright and they ran in the opposite direction.

Remus ran his hands distractedly through his hair. Where could she be? She couldn't be serious about finishing things with him, could she? Not over a little prank. He sat heavily on a wooden bench, thinking about what had happened an hour ago at breakfast.

'Not such a little prank, actually,' he realised, with regret.

It was a few days before Easter holidays and James and Sirius had celebrated the upcoming break by bewitching Severus with a spell Remus had discovered so that everything he said came out as babble and curse words. Then, they'd Transfugured his clothes into a dress in the middle of class, causing an uproar as he stood frozen in a bright pink sundress.

Remus closed his eyes tightly. It had been an awful thing to do, but he hadn't tried to talk them out of it. He'd gone along with it, laughing with the others until he'd seen Krystal's angry face glaring at him. The silver flash in her eyes warned him that they'd gone too far this time. She was right: he'd promised after the fight in Fifth Year that he wouldn't go along with any pranks involving hurting Snape again. He'd broken his promise.

He opened his eyes. He suddenly thought he knew where she would be. Standing up he ran down to the basement where the Slytherin Common room was. He managed to convince a First year to get Severus for him, but it was Krystal that appeared in the carved doorway.

'What do you want?' she asked, anger still laced throughout her voice.

'Krys, I'm sorry. I want to tell Severus I'm sorry. We didn't think…' he tried to offer an excuse, but she shook her head.

'I'm not interested, Remus. And neither is Sev. You made your choice when you helped them. And you forced me to make mine.' Her eyes were still furious, but he could see the sadness in them as well.

Krys, don't do this. Please? Can't we talk about it?' he begged, beginning to realise she was serious about breaking it off with him. Panic started to rise in him when she shook her head again and moved to close the common room door.

'Krys, I'm sorry,' he tried to say, as the door was shutting.

'So am I, Remus,' she whispered, and he saw a tear fall down her cheek before the door closed in his face.

**Review, review, review. Cheers!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks to Misundersnape, The Fleaks and MoonNightLover for reviews.**

**Did you like my little cliffhanger? He he! Once that girl makes up her mind, it's going to take a lot to change it. Prepare yourselves. Lots of angst coming up.**

Chapter Eighteen

It was late that night when Krystal came back to the Gryffindor common room. She'd spent the day hiding out with Sev in his room, playing chess, and studying. They'd talked a little about what had happened, roundly abusing the Marauders. Severus was surprised when Krystal told him she'd broken up with Remus, but he had always secretly thought she was too good for the werewolf, so, despite her obvious misery, didn't try to get her to change her mind.

Remus was sitting on the couch, rising as he saw Krystal enter the deserted room. 'Krys..' he said, his voice cracking. She looked over to him, her face no longer angry, but very sad.

'I'm so sorry, Krys' he said, feeling his stomach twist at her expression. He had spent the day in the common room, waiting for her to return. He had allowed himself a few terrified tears once the room emptied, wondering how on earth he was going to convince her to take him back.

'Are you sorry you didn't try to stop them, or sorry that I'm angry?' she asked, looking at him with a frown.

'Both,' he answered, coming around the couch to stand in front of her. 'Please Krys. I'm begging you. I love you.' He saw her lip tremble, and she blinked quickly before she turned away.

'Do you know why I'm so angry?' she asked, sitting on the arm of a nearby chair and looking back at him.

'It was a despicable thing to do, and I broke my promise to you,' he said, moving towards her, before halting as she held up a hand.

She took a deep breath, exhaling loudly before speaking. 'Did you know that I absolutely hate Peter?' she asked, startling him with her change of subject.

'I..um…no,' he stuttered, shaking his head, a little stunned by her statement.

'Well, I do,' she said, standing again and beginning to pace. 'I can't stand him. He gives me the creeps, and I loathe hanging around with him.'

Remus was shocked at her admission. He'd seen that she kept a certain distance between herself and Peter, but he'd never known she disliked his friend so intensely.

'I didn't know you hated him so much, Krys. You never told me,' he said, frowning.

'No,' she replied, stopping and crossing her arms in front of her. 'I never told you because he's your friend, and I wanted to respect that friendship. I didn't want you to have to choose between spending time with him or me: the way I had to choose between you and Sev.'

He closed his eyes as he suddenly understood what she was telling him. 'I'm sorry, Krys,' he said. 'You're right. I've never respected your friendship with Severus. I've never treated him as if he was important to you. I didn't realise I was making you choose between us.'

He felt very frightened now. It had hit him just how much she cared for Severus; and how much he'd hurt her by hurting the Slytherin.

'I guess I just don't understand why you're friends with him,' he admitted. 'You're such a good person and he's….' Remus stopped, thinking better of what he was about to say.

'He's a good person too,' Krystal insisted. 'You don't know him like I do, Remus. You don't know what he's been through; why he is the way he is.'

'Then explain it to me,' he said, coming closer to her. 'Tell me why he is the way he is.'

He saw her eyes change; become guarded. She shook her head. 'I can't,' she said firmly. 'I made a promise to a friend and I won't break it.' Her words stung him, reminding him of why she was so angry with him.

'It doesn't matter anyway. It should have been enough for you that I care about him, that he's my friend. I'm sorry too, Remus. I love you….' Her voice broke, and she clenched her eyes closed tightly for a second.

'But I can't be with someone who doesn't respect my friendships. You broke your promise. You made me choose, Remus.'

Remus felt pain sweep through him as she stood and turned away from him. Tears filled his eyes as he reached for her arm, stopping her. He moved to stand in front of her and held her face in his hands.

'Please, Krys,' he whispered, his voice breaking as a sob rose in his throat. He saw her tears and lowered his face to hers, kissing her mouth.

'Please. I will do anything. Just don't go,' he murmured against her cheek, tasting her salty tears on his lips. Or were they his tears?

Her hands raised to his face and she kissed him hard, her lips shaking, before releasing him, and running up the stairs to the girl's dormitory. Remus felt as if he'd been hit hard in the chest and stomach, the feeling making him stagger a little. Unable to breathe properly, he sat down on the couch in front of the fire, staring into the flames for a moment before the feeling of loss undid him, doubling him over as he began to shake, and hot tears streaked down his cheeks.

'Krys. We're sorry. We're all sorry. Come on, won't you just talk to him?' Sirius asked, frowning as he spoke to her before she Flooed home for the holidays. Krystal had broken up with Remus two days ago, and Sirius was concerned for his friend. He wasn't eating or sleeping, staying in bed, claiming to be ill for the last couple of days.

Krystal shook her head, fighting down her own sorrow.

'No, Sirius. I have to go,' she said, stepping into the fireplace after one of the Hufflepuff girls. She raised her handful of powder, preparing to say the name of her destination.

'He's miserable, Krys. He won't eat, he can't sleep. It was our fault - James and I,' he said quickly. She looked at him and he saw the tears in her eyes.

'Do you think I'm enjoying this, Sirius?' she said, her voice low. There was pain on her face as she spoke. 'I love him. But he made a promise to me, and then broke it without a second thought.'

She shook her head, her face beginning to crumple. 'I'm sorry, but he did this to us when he chose to help you.'

She blinked rapidly and regained some control., her face and eyes hardening. Throwing down the powder in her hand, she called her address out loudly, vanishing from Sirius' view.

Both Krystal and Remus spent a dismal two weeks at home, snapping at their parents and friends when they expressed their concerns, Krystal eventually refusing to see the particularly persistent Lily or Sirius, or read any mail from them or James. Unbeknownst to both the teenagers, their parents had met up to try and find out what had happened, to no avail as their children had refused to discuss their break up with them; Remus' parents confiding that he was every bit as depressed as Krystal.

Krystal had been trying to do as Albus had told her to do; to allow herself to feel the pain instead of burying it. But it was hard: the hurt threatening to overwhelm her, the constant feeling of being on the edge of tears frustrating her, making her feel weak and helpless. So, almost against her will, she slowly allowed herself to sink a little more into the shadows each day, letting the dark place inside her replace Remus as her safe place.

Krystal spent a lot of time with Severus, the dark haired boy seeing her gradual descent into the cold, dark place he himself knew so well, and he grew concerned. She had lost weight, and was pale, her hair hanging unbrushed and stringy around her face. She'd barely left her bedroom the whole two weeks, and he couldn't believe what he was about to tell her to do.

'Give him another chance, Krystal,' he said, surprising her.

'After what he did to you?' she said, shaking her head.

'Look, I don't like him. I don't like any of them. But you…you love him, don't you?' She looked at him, tears prickling her eyes as she nodded.

'I'm a big boy, Krystal. I'm used to be treated like that by them, and I don't like seeing you so miserable.' He saw her eyes hardening a bit and tried to distract her.

'You're no fun when you're like this - you've ruined my holiday,' he accused lightly, trying to make her smile, succeeding a little.

'Krystal, I would give anything to have Lily back in my life,' he said faintly, pain crossing his face at the thought of the girl he still loved. 'It's a horrible way to live - wishing you'd made other choices. Don't do that to yourself.' His brow furrowed, and Krystal reached over and grasped his hand.

'Thanks Sev. I'll think about it.'

Krystal lay awake in her dormitory, rising when she saw the sun creeping over the horizon. Last night, her third back at Hogwarts, had been a full moon, and she couldn't sleep. A feeling of dread had remained with her all night, and she wanted to go and see Sirius to check how Remus had gone with his transformation.

They hadn't spoken much since coming back to school. Sirius, James, Lily and, to Krystal's surprise, Severus had all tried again to talk her into taking Remus back, and her resolve was wavering. She was so unhappy, on the verge of tears all the time. She felt hollow and empty. And Remus looked awful, although, according to Lily, she also 'looked like shit'.

She could feel his red rimmed eyes on her when they were in classes together, and she'd had to excuse herself several times, running to the bathroom before she broke down, only returning to class after she spoke furiously to herself, demanding that she regain control. Being around him now made the dark and cold disappear, leaving her vulnerable and hurting, and resentful to both Remus and Albus for making her feel this way.

She tried to spend as much time in her room as possible, eating early or late or not at all to avoid seeing Remus. Lily was alarmed yesterday morning watching her change for class, seeing her pinning the waist of her skirt which threatened to fall off her hips. She had lost a lot of weight now.

'Jesus, Krys,' she'd said, staring at her. 'You need to eat something.'

She'd dragged her to breakfast, but Krystal was unable to eat more than a mouthful as Remus sat at the other end of the table, glancing up at her often.

'I know he let you down, Krys,' Lily said, seeing her friend sneak a look at Remus. 'But he's sorry. He's a good guy; he loves you so very much, and you love him. It doesn't have to be this hard.'

Krystal looked at Lily with tears in her eyes, barely holding herself together. She turned and looked at Remus again, catching him watching her. His face creased in pain when their eyes met, and he quickly left the table, unable to sit there any longer after seeing the misery in her face; the tears in her eyes, knowing he couldn't do anything to make her feel better.

Remus went to the nearest bathroom, splashing cold water on his face, trying to stop yet another outbreak of tears. He'd never cried so much in his life, or felt such extremes in his emotions - going from numbness to anger to despair quickly. Whenever he saw Krystal, she looked so sad, and it hurt. He'd noticed she'd lost weight, and looked tired. Exams were quickly approaching, their NEWT level, and they were both worried they would fail because of their misery.

Lying in bed now, Krystal sighed. She hadn't spent any time with Sirius or James since returning to Hogwarts, and didn't really want to have to talk to them now. Dressing quickly in a t-shirt and jeans, she snuck up to the boys room, expecting they would be back by now. She intended to quickly find out that Remus was alright, and leave.

The room was empty, though and she sat on Remus' bed to wait. Her heart hurt as she realised she could smell his aftershave. She touched his pillow, then, almost against her will, picked it up and held it to her face, breathing in the scent of him as her eyes again began to fill. Feeling a sob in her throat, she stood up again, throwing the pillow down.

'This is ridiculous,' she thought to herself. 'He helped do something horrible to my friend, why can't I hate him?' She stared at his bed, as memories of the night's they'd spent together there ran through her mind. The sob that had been stuck in her throat escaped and, for the first time, she began to really weep, holding her head in her hands as uncontrollable tremors rocked her. She sank back down to sit on the edge of his bed.

She didn't know how long she'd sat there when she felt an arm snake around her shoulders, and looked up, startled, to see Sirius sitting next to her. She quickly wiped at her face, but he took her hands in his.

'It's ok to cry, Krys,' he said gently. 'No one else is here. Just get it out.'

She shook her head, but her tears continued to fall, her mouth continued to shake and, as he pulled her close to his chest, she felt her misery explode from her lips in great, heart wrenching sobs.

A few minutes later, he handed her a fresh handkerchief and she wiped her face. She saw him watching her with concern, and she tried to smile.

'Sorry. I suppose that's the last thing you needed this morning,' she said in a husky voice. She heard it and cleared her throat.

'That's alright, Krys. I think you needed that,' he said quietly. 'You really love him, don't you?' She nodded, and looked at him, seeing a flash of pain in his eyes.

'Siri…' she began, feeling tears well up again at seeing his hurt.

'It's fine, Krys. I know how much you love each other. I can't understand why you're willing to lose that when so many people want just a little of what you have together,' he said, irritably.

She felt his words hit her like a physical blow. She really was throwing away something special, wasn't she?

He stood up abruptly. 'I was going to come and find you. He had a bad night, Krys. Really bad.' Krystal looked at him closely for the first time, seeing the scratches up his arms.

'Did he do that?' she asked. He turned to look at her.

'I think he's angry with us; that deep down, he partially blames us for your break up. He was pretty rough with us, but worse with himself.'

He lifted his shirt, taking it off and Krystal gasped, seeing the long scratches on his chest and back.

'God, Sirius…..' she began, but he interrupted.

'You should get up to the infirmary, Krys. He's banged up really bad. We couldn't stop him hurting himself this time. James stayed transformed and carried him up to the castle on his back and we levitated him to the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey didn't see us. We couldn't leave him in that state. He could have d….'

He stopped, not willing to put voice to that terrible thought.

She stared at him for a moment in shock, then moved to him, hugging him quickly.

'Krys,' he whispered, allowing his anxiety to show. 'I'm worried he's done some permanent damage this time.'

She nodded and hurried from the room, running to the hospital wing where Madame Pomfrey refused to let her see him at first, but Krystal pushed past her, nearly knocking the woman to the ground as she tore open the curtains to see Remus. A small cry of anguish left her and she raised a shaking hand to her mouth, stepping forward slowly as her eyes ran over his body.

The nurse came up behind her and, seeing the tears in her eyes, put her hands on her shoulders, offering comfort to the distressed girl.

'He must have passed out when he got here. I managed to get a pain potion down his throat; he must have been in agony, he was moaning. It's the worst I've seen him,' she confided, her own face creased in worry. 'I've asked the Headmaster to let his parents' know. He may need to go to St. Mungo's for a few days.'

But Krystal wasn't listening. She couldn't focus on anything except the man in front of her.

He was unconscious, and thankfully, the potion seemed to have worked. His face was scratched and bruised, but calm and peaceful. She saw a long, deep cut along his jaw that she knew would never fade. His entire body was damaged, broken.

Krystal's eyes moved over him as Madame Pomfrey listed his injuries. 'Broken arm, collar bone as well. His cheekbone is broken under that cut, and his jaw was fractured. I've already mended that - I had to try and open his mouth to get the potion into him.' She shook her head, her own face pale as she continued.

'I think he may have damaged his throat, there's a lot of deep bruising around his neck. Broken ribs, at least four or five. And I don't like the look of this bump on his head. I think he may have fractured his skull. I don't know how he made it back here. Some of these cuts are very deep. I'll have to get him cleaned up before I can see how bad they are. If they are too deep, he'll have to go to the hospital. They're sending a healer to help me.' The woman looked over at Krystal. 'And I haven't checked for any internal injuries yet.'

Krystal felt her mouth quivering and she bit her lip, blinking back the tears in her eyes. Remus was still covered in blood, making it difficult to see exactly how bad his cuts and bruises were. Madame had a bowl with a sponge ready next to his bed, and Krystal reached for it, running it carefully over him, before rinsing it out, alarmed at how quickly the water turned bright red. The nurse must have sensed she needed to do this, and left her, saying she'd return to heal some of his cuts when Krystal had finished washing him.

Her hands shook as she moved the cloth over him, magically emptying and refilling the bowl when the water became red. As the blood was removed, she could see exactly how badly he'd hurt himself, and tears escaped down her cheeks as she blamed herself for his pain. Uncovering a long, deep cut along his stomach, she looked at him.

'I'm so sorry, Remus,' she whispered.

'You didn't do this to him, Krystal,' said a quiet voice behind her. She turned to see Remus' parents and Albus behind her. Mrs Lupin moved to stroke her son's hair, as Mr Lupin stepped forward to stand next to Krystal, looking down at Remus, a curse escaping his lips. Krystal made to leave, but Mr Lupin held her arm.

'No,' he said firmly. 'He wants you here.'

When she shook her head, he put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against him in an embrace.

'He loves you, sweetheart. No matter what happened between the two of you, that never changed. He needs you here.

Krystal fought back her tears and nodded. Remus' mother also hugged her, and then helped her finish washing the blood off his legs.

Madame Pomfrey appeared with a male mediwizard she introduced as from St Mungos Hospital. They were assessing how bad a shape Remus was in, and pulled the curtain around the bed as they examined him. They were in there for over an hour, terrifying Krystal, who thought the worst. Remus' mother had begun to cry, and her husband hugged her to him, his own face showing his distress as the wait grew longer.

She felt Albus put a hand on her shoulder, and, before she could stop herself, she'd turned and buried her face in his chest as fear overtook her, shaking her. He soothed her as her father used to when she was little, running his hand over her head.

'This hurts too much,' she thought. 'How could anyone let themselves feel this if they could avoid it?'

She refused to allow any more tears to fall, quickly regaining control of herself. She'd been weak enough today; Remus needed her strength now. She lifted her head, her eyes harder now as she buried the pain she felt. She didn't see Albus watching her with growing disquiet.

Finally the curtain opened, and the four of them stepped forward anxiously.

'I think he'll be able to stay here for now,' said the male healer to Remus' parents, who sighed in relief.

'We've healed the broken bones and the cuts. Poppy will keep a close eye on him for infection: some of those wounds were pretty deep. His skull wasn't fractured luckily, he's got enough to worry about without that. His kidney was quite bruised as was his throat, but otherwise internally he is alright. I'll check back tomorrow, but he should recover. A little slower than usual maybe, but he'll be fine.'

Krystal's legs gave way, and she felt Albus's hands steady her.

'I'm fine,' she said, trying to step forward, but he held her shoulders firmly.

"Albus, please,' she said, her voice hard. 'I'm fine.'

She turned to the bed to see Remus. He looked a little better, clean and his cuts closed. The bruising around his previously broken bones was purpling now, the physical shock to his body lingering despite the fact the bones had been healed.

'Family only now, Miss O'Connor. You can come back another day,' said the nurse. Krystal's frowned. She didn't want to leave him. Remus' father overheard the woman and came over to where they were standing.

'Krystal is family. She'll stay as long as she wants,' he said reprovingly to the nurse, as he drew her over towards the bed.

The three of them stayed by his bedside all day, Albus arranging some meals to be sent up. Sirius, James, Lily and Peter turned up at lunchtime and were stunned to learn the extent of Remus' injuries. Krystal surprised them by hugging each of the boys, including Peter.

'Thank you,' she whispered. 'I don't want to think about what would have happened if you all hadn't have been there.'

She shuddered and banished the thought from her mind. They left for classes, promising to take notes for her and Remus, Sirius giving her an extra hug before he left.

'Are you alright?' he asked quietly, noting her skull white skin and blank eyes. She shook her head.

'Not really, but I'm no good to him if I do nothing but cry, am I?' she said, with a small smile.

Remus' parents convinced Krystal to go and shower and change after dinner, and while she was gone, Remus woke up for the first time. His parents' relief was palpable when they told her.

'He asked for you,' Mr Lupin said, as they prepared to depart for the night. They had been reassured that Remus would recover and they had spoken to him, so they were finally happy to return home for the night.

'Did he?' she said, frustrated that she hadn't gotten to see him.

'We told him you'd been here all day. The potions are wearing off,' Mr Lupin said, sensing her distress. 'He'll wake again soon.'

She nodded and hugged them both before they left.

It wasn't until nearly three hours later that Remus woke again with a groan. He looked around, feeling the stiffness of his body now that the pain potion had worn off.

Madame Pomfrey hurried into the cubicle holding another dose of potions.

'Here,' she whispered, helping him sit up then handing him two vials. 'This is for the pain. This one is to put you back to sleep.' But he wasn't listening. He had just seen Krystal asleep in a chair next to his bed, her head on the bed next to him, arms folded under her for a pillow.

'Krys,' he whispered, his voice almost nonexistent.

'You've bruised your throat a bit, Mr Lupin,' said Madame Pomfrey, trying to get him to swallow the potions. 'Try not to talk too much.'

She looked at him watching Krystal and sighed, smiling a little.

'She's been here all day. Nearly knocked me over to get to you this morning.' He looked at her, a corner of his mouth twitching.

'She fell asleep about an hour ago. Take the pain potion at least,' she said, shaking her head as his eyes moved back to Krystal. 'I'll leave the other here for when you want it.' He nodded vaguely, swallowing the potion she helped him hold to his lips. She put the other on the side table and left, pulling the curtains closed.

His chest ached in a way that had nothing to do with his injuries. Stretching a hand gingerly towards her, he shakily ran his hand over her hair. She made a noise in her throat and her head twitched. He did it again, and this time, she moved, raising her head and looking at him blankly for a second.

'Remus,' she gasped, standing up when her brain comprehended what she was seeing. He was startled to see her pale face and red, swollen eyes.

'You ok?' he asked, hoarsely. She stared at him for a moment, then began to laugh, her eyes filling with tears.

'Am_ I_ ok?' she asked him disbelievingly, as her laughter became a little hysterical. She collapsed back into her chair and grasped the hand he'd stroked her hair with. Lowering her head to the bed, she kissed his palm and then held his hand against her forehead as her laughter disappeared and she began to cry in earnest, her relief cracking the walls she'd put up around her heart.

Remus felt his own eyes fill with tears, wanting to hold her; to comfort her.

'Krys, I'm alright,' he reassured her, his voice raspy, but strengthening. She nodded against his hand, her shoulders shaking with the force of her sadness.

'I'm so sorry, Remus' she said, voice muffled as her lips were back on his hand. 'I did this to you.'

He shook his head, noting quickly that his pain was gone again - the potions had kicked in.

'No,' he said, his voice not as gravely now. 'I did it to myself. Krys? Honey, look at me. Please?' She looked up, wiping her tears off her cheeks.

'You aren't responsible for this; I am. I bought this on myself.' He watched her wipe her face on her sleeves, still holding his hand.

'Come here,' he said, unable to stand her tears any longer without holding her. He pulled her towards him and she sat on the bed next to him.

'You're too hurt,' she said, refusing his efforts to get her to come closer. He looked at her carefully, fear flooding through him.

'I'm sorry, Krys. I assumed because you were here, you had changed your mind about us. That you might have forgiven me.' Pain that had nothing to do with his injuries, stabbed through his chest and he winced.

'I shouldn't have assumed….'

Her lips found his, making him forget what he was going to say. Krystal kissed him gently, trying not to hurt him, but he was having none of it. His hand moved to the back of her neck and held her to him, deepening the kiss, hearing her moan as his tongue flicked against hers. He was short of breath when they parted, and her hands came up to hold his face.

'I was so scared. I thought I'd lost you. I thought….' she couldn't finish.

The tears had begun again; falling like rain on the sheets under them. She realised then that it was Remus she could always fall into; that he made her feel safe enough to let go; to feel. She couldn't keep her walls up around him.

'I love you, Remus. So much it frightens me. I can't lose you. I can't be without you.'

Relief rushed through him, and he held her tightly against him, running his hands over her back.

'I'm so sorry, honey. I swear I will never hurt you again. I will never let you go again. I love you, I love you so very much, Krys.'

He kissed her desperately, tears running down his face as he tried to show her how much he loved her.

She kissed him back, holding him close. When his shortness of breath made them part, he pulled her against him, falling back onto the bed.

'Don't move,' he said fiercely as she tried to move away, concerned about his bruises. 'I need you here, Krys, remember. I heal faster, so stay close.'

She did. And he didn't need his potion for sleep. That night, he slept better than he had in weeks, despite his injuries. Krystal lay awake for longer, her hand pressed against him so she could feel his heart beat, and the regular rise and fall of his chest.

The pain that had gripped her for the last few weeks was finally abating. She felt worn out and drained, and determined to never allow herself to feel like that again. If this is what it felt like to allow yourself to feel pain; to hurt, she didn't want any part of it. Krystal kissed Remus' skin under her cheek.

'I can't ever lose him again,' she thought. 'It hurts way too much.'

Forcing her tears down, she finally let sleep take her.

They were awoken the next day by a beaming, and blushing, Mr and Mrs Lupin, who were thrilled to see their son smiling again.

'I assume from the smiles on your faces that you're together again,' said his father later, when Krystal had left to shower and change, and his mother was talking to the nurse.

Remus grinned and nodded. 'It was my fault, dad,' he admitted, feeling shame at his behaviour. 'I helped play a joke on one of her friends and she dumped me.'

His heart hurt thinking about the last few weeks and how miserable he'd been without her.

'I hope you've learnt from your mistakes, Remus,' Mr Lupin said, seeing the frown on his sons face.

Remus nodded, then looked at his father. 'Dad, I want to marry her,' he said, seeing his fathers surprised look.

'Remus, there's plenty of time…' but Remus shook his head.

'I told her ages ago I was going to propose after we left school, but I don't want to wait. I want to marry her as soon as we finish our exams,' Remus said firmly.

He looked at his father, seeing his frown. 'I don't need your permission, dad,' he said softly. 'But I'd like your support.'

Remus' father shook his head. 'It's not like you to be so impulsive, Remus,' he said, continuing quickly when his son opened his mouth to interrupt.

'If you want to do this, I will support you. You know your mum and I love Krystal. We think she is wonderful for you, but you are both so young. Just promise me you'll both think very carefully about this before you make a final decision. Consider everything.'

Remus nodded, then his mother entered the room with Krystal following her.

'Are you still awake?' Krystal said with a frown, leaning over to kiss him on the forehead. His face lit up when he saw her, and his father blinked rapidly.

'Come on,' he said to his wife. 'I think we need a little fresh air.'

Ignoring her confused expression, he pulled her out of the room, leaving Krystal and Remus alone.

'That was subtle,' mumbled Remus, with a slight grin. Krystal sat on the edge of his bed with a suspicious expression.

'Alright,' she said with a resigned tone. 'What's going on?'

Remus smiled. 'Nothing,' he said, sitting up slowly then putting his arms around her waist. 'I was just telling my dad how I plan on marrying you the minute we leave Hogwarts.'

She looked at him, startled. 'I thought we talked about this,' she said with a little smile. 'Remember? My father? You suffering a slow and painful death?'

He smiled but the amusement soon left his face. 'I don't want to wait, Krys,' he said, shaking his head. 'I want to marry you as soon as we leave here. Which means, I suppose, that this is a proposal.'

Krystal looked at him with her mouth open, speechless only for the second time in her life.

Remus took advantage of the rare silence, and asked, 'Will you marry me, Krys?'

Krystal stared at him, stunned. 'Remus,' she said, shaking her head. 'We've got nothing. No house to live in, no furniture, no jobs, no money.'

Remus felt a little stab of panic. 'So, you're saying no?' he said, his jaw clenching.

'No,' she said with a small smile. 'That's not what I'm saying.'

His smile reappeared. 'So, it's a yes then?'

'I'm not saying that either,' she replied, letting out a little breath of amusement at his frustrated look.

'Remus, I want to marry you,' she said, smiling at him. 'I can't think of anything that would make me happier than to be your wife.'

He grinned and she shook her head. 'But I want us to be ready. I don't want us to be living with our parents, searching for work, saving up for a place to live. We'd both be frustrated, and we'd end up getting on each other's nerves'

He sighed, knowing she was right. 'How about this?' she said, wanting to make him smile again.

'We get jobs, and find a place to live as soon as we can. Then we'll move in together.'

Remus grinned at the thought of having her to himself all the time, and she laughed as she continued.

'If we can stand being in the same house together, then I'll let you propose again - and I'll definitely say yes.'

'Promise?' he said, moving his hands up her arms and feeling her goosebumps at his touch.

'I swear on my life that next time you ask me to marry you, I'll say yes,' she replied, leaning forward to kiss him, moaning when she felt his tongue sweep over her lip.

'Although if you keep kissing me like that I might change my mind,' she murmured against his lips.

'Keep kissing her like that and she'll be banned from the ward, Mr Lupin,' they heard the nurse say from the foot of the bed, frowning at them.

'Time for your medicine.' Krystal blushed and giggled as she got up and Remus took his medication.


	19. Chapter 19

**The Fleaks - I got my chappies mixed up. Lots of love and romance for another few chapters than the weather looks dark and angsty.**

**WARNING: Hot werewolf having sex! If you are offended by the numbers 6 or 9, don't read. Ye have been warned - Ah! (bad pirate impression - sorry). Can readers let me know if I'm still in a M rating? I've read worse on here but...I could tone down a little (sigh). Only for reviews though.**

**Strap yourself in - here we go!**

Chapter Nineteen

Remus ended up staying in the infirmary for nearly a week before Madame Pomfrey would discharge him. Krystal had been convinced to go back to classes on the third day, but ate her meals and slept in the hospital wing, or not slept as was the case on Remus' last night in the ward. They giggled as they spent the night making out, beginning to get hot and heavy until the nurse came in and threatened to send Krystal away again.

'Right, Mr Lupin,' Madame Pomfrey said as she handed him his clothes on the sixth evening. 'Take it easy for a day or so longer, no dangerous activities, no potion class in case you get dizzy from the fumes, no duelling, and no…...vigorous physical activity.' As the nurse finished her lecture, she blushed a little, but Remus grinned.

'No sports. Got it!' he said innocently, making the woman look at him sternly.

'You know exactly what physical activity I'm referring to, Mr Lupin,' she frowned, as she waved him out of bed and began to strip his sheets off, shaking her head as he laughed.

There was a cheer in the common room from the Seventh years as Remus entered. He blushed a little, feeling bad for asking his friends to lie about his condition. They'd told everyone he'd been beaten up by the Whomping Willow trying to complete a dare.

He couldn't see Krystal as he looked around. Lily hugged him and James clapped him on the shoulder. His friends had visited him once, bringing sweets and Butterbeer, but were banned after they became a little too rowdy for the strait-laced Madame Pomfrey.

Sirius and Krystal clamoured through the portrait hole, Sirius grinning when he saw him; Krystal beamed and hugged him.

'Hey, babe,' he said cheerfully, pinching her on the behind. She let out a breath of laughter and pulled away a little to stare at him suspiciously.

'Who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend?' she said, and he laughed, kissing her hard, raising calls of 'Get a room!' from James, who was curled up with Lily on the couch.

Remus grinned. 'What a good idea,' he said, trying to pull Krystal towards the stairs, but she resisted him.

'No. I've planned something else,' she said with a smile, and pulled him out the portrait hole.

She slapped his wandering hands as they walked along the corridors. Finally he grabbed her around the waist from behind and stopped her.

'Are we trying to find another cupboard? Cause I saw several back there,' he said, kissing her neck.

She laughed and pulled out of his grasp, saying, 'It's just up here. Sirius showed me.'

He didn't miss the shadow that passed over her face as she spoke their friend's name, and wondered about it. But before he could ask, she'd stopped facing the blank wall. 'Krys?' he said, when suddenly a door appeared.

'Room of Requirement?' he guessed, remembering Sirius telling him about his exploits in the secret room. She nodded and smiled as she opened the door and led him by the hand into the room.

'Krys, this is incredible,' he said, his mouth gaping as he looked around. A huge bed in the middle of the room, surrounded by candles. He could see a large bubble bath, perfumed steam rising in spirals with fluffy towels stacked next to it. He could hear music in the background and more candles floating in the air in glass bubbles. He looked at her and smiled. She grinned back and said,' You like it?'

Remus moved quickly to her and kissed her, slowly deepening it until he felt his knees begin to go weak. He pulled away and lifted his hands, smoothing them over her hair, stopping at the back of her neck.

'I love it.' She smiled and kissed him again, this time their mouths were more demanding, needier. It had been over a month since they were last together, and their craving for each other wasn't going to wait much longer.

'Why are we standing here when there's a perfectly good bed just there?' she said, as his mouth moved to her neck. He laughed and, bending at the knees, picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

'Remus!' she laughed, smacking him on the ass. 'You're not supposed to be participating in any vigorous activities, remember?' He laughed and threw her, giggling, onto the bed.

'She gave you that lecture too?' he said, as he threw himself down next to her.

He looked at her and saw her frown. 'I'm fine, Krys. You know how overcautious she always is. Anyway, she said no _vigorous_ activities,' he reminded her with a leer. 'I can just lay here…'

'Oh, is that a hint that you expect me to do all the work tonight?' she said, with a cheeky look, pushing him onto his back and quickly straddling him.

'Doctor's orders, I'm afraid,' he replied, as she bent down to kiss him with a laugh.

She felt him harden under her as their kiss became hungrier. Remus sat up slightly so she could pull his shirt off, and yanked hers' over her head before he fell back onto the pillows. Krystal sat up on him and reached around to unclip her bra, hearing him groan as she threw it onto the floor. He sat up, kissing her breast, circling her nipple with his tongue before sucking it hard into his mouth, making her draw a sharp breath and clutch his head tighter to her. Remus felt her push hard against his groin as he moved his head to her other breast.

'Shit, I wanted this to be slower,' she said, as his hands crept down to her ass, rubbing up against her.

'We can slow down if you want,' he said, falling back onto the bed as she fumbled with his jeans, pulling them swiftly down his legs, along with his underwear.

'I'll take that as a no,' he mumbled as she rained kissed over his stomach. He sat up and reached down, undoing her pants and watched her slide them off. She came to sit next to him on the bed, kneeling beside him as she stroked him. Remus groaned and thrust up into her hand.

She smiled and bent over, running her tongue over the tip of his cock. He groaned and suddenly her mouth was surrounding him, the warm, wet sensation making him close his eyes and give himself over to her. He felt her take him deeper and couldn't stop himself thrusting up. He opened his eyes and saw her ass sticking up in the air next to him. Reaching over, he slid his hand over her butt and in between her legs, finding her heat and sliding his fingers into her. She moaned, and the vibrations made him arch up into her mouth. With a sudden urge to taste her, he pulled his fingers out of her and sucked them, but it wasn't enough.

'Krys, come here,' he said roughly, pulling her leg over his chest, then pulling her hips back so he could lick her. She swore around his shaft, then moaned as he teased her with his tongue. She ground herself back onto his mouth, then began to copy his movements with her own tongue. Remus groaned into her, and felt her begin to tense. He did it again, and she began to convulse, pressing herself harder on him. Her soft moaning on his shaft sent him into spasms, thrusting himself up into her mouth as he exploded.

She rolled off him and lay panting next to him

'That was new,' she gasped, hearing him chuckle. He sat up and crawled on top of her, holding himself up with shaking arms as he kissed her.

'God, that was amazing. Why haven't we tried that before?' he asked, collapsing on her. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, and kissed his neck.

'I missed you,' she murmured into his skin.

He turned his head towards her and kissed her close to her ear, saying, 'I missed you, too.'

Rolling them so she lay over his chest, he ran his hands down her back, feeling a little alarmed when he realised just how much weight she'd lost during their time apart.

'Krys, you're so skinny,' he said, shifting so he could look down at her. 'You haven't been eating properly. We need some food in here so I can fatten you up again. Look, your ass is disappearing.'

She giggled then raised her eyebrows. 'Looks like you got your wish,' she said, pointing to a table next to the bed where a plate of chicken, potatoes and chocolate cake had just appeared.

Remus grinned. 'Hmm, I'm sure we can do something with this cake….' he said mischievously.

They tried out the bath a little while later, washing chocolate icing off themselves but soon the smell of the oil on her skin made Remus crazy, dragging Krystal back to the bed, where he thoroughly enjoyed ignoring Madame Pomfrey's advice about not taking part in any vigorous activities. As they lay together under the sheets, bodies curled into each other, he remembered the strange look that had crossed her face earlier when she mentioned Sirius.

'Are you and Sirius still arguing?' he asked, rolling over so he could look at her. She frowned.

'No. Why?' she asked, a little surprised. He shook his head.

'I don't know. You just looked a little funny before when you said he showed you this room,' he replied, watching her closely. Her face seemed to freeze for a moment, before she shrugged.

'Krys, I'm not the only bad liar in the room,' he said, frowning himself now. 'What's happened?'

He saw her jaw clench and she said in a low voice, 'Nothing. Nothing's happened, Remus. Everything's fine.'

Remus sat up, looking down at her. 'I think you'd better tell me,' he said, his voice a little dangerous. She made a frustrated noise in her throat and sat up as well.

'Please, Remus. Just leave it.' He stared at her, refusing to let it go. Krystal sighed.

'You have to promise me you'll won't say anything to him, Remus. I mean it,' she said forcefully when he opened his mouth to argue with her.

He agreed and she frowned again, a worried look crossing her face.

'He….he likes me,' she said, biting her lip. Remus looked confused for a moment.

'He really likes me, Remus,' she continued and saw comprehension hit.

'You're kidding?' he said, looking a little outraged. 'He hit on you?'

She shook her head quickly, looking upset. 'No, no. Nothing like that, but… he did kiss me when we were at that party a couple of years ago, and then….I kissed him when you told me you didn't want to be with me last year,' she reminded him.

He looked angry, but Krystal hastily continued. 'It was all ages ago, before we were together and none of it was planned, or went any further.'

'You kissed him?' Remus said, a frown on his face as he tried to work out how he was supposed to feel about this. 'Why him?'

Krystal looked at him. 'Because he was there. Because he's a really nice guy who was trying to make me feel better. Because I knew if you found out it would hurt you as much as you'd hurt me.'

She sighed. 'I'm not proud of what I did - I used him to make me feel better. But he stopped it, both times; so if you want to be angry at someone - here I am,' she said.

'And he likes you? It's more than friendship?' he asked.

She nodded. 'He told me last year, which is why I felt a little funny about him showing me this room. This was his idea, you know. That we get some time alone somewhere special.'

She looked at Remus and could see his initial anger fading. 'He's never hit on me; or asked me to reciprocate or anything. He was just admitting to it; letting me know. He seemed really….sad.'

Remus' anger was gone but he was still a little stunned. He and Sirius had spent a lot of time together discussing Krystal and his feelings for her, but his friend had never said anything. He recalled his slight surprise at how close Sirius and Krystal had become over the last couple of years, but he was happy they were friends, and had thought Sirius' incessant flirting was just his usual mucking around. Krystal flirted back, and he'd never given their behaviour a second thought.

'I think he's blowing it out of proportion,' said Krystal, getting his attention. 'I think he's a little jealous. You and James are both in relationships and I think he's realised that he's sick of playing around with different girls.'

Remus thought about what she was saying, and all of a sudden, the signs were obvious. The strange looks Sirius sometimes gave them when he and Krys were together; the odd lilt to his voice sometimes; how Remus had caught him looking at her occasionally; and…..

'He hit me,' Remus said. Krystal looked startled.

'When all that stuff happened last year. He'd told me not to hurt you, and when I did, he punched me.' He shook his head.

'I don't know why it didn't occur to me then that he liked you as well. I always thought he was just being his usual flirty self when he was around you.'

A thought hit him and he looked over at her, asking, 'If you kissed him, does that mean you're attracted to him?' he asked, feeling as though he might just return the favour and hit Sirius when she frowned.

'Honestly?' she asked, looking at him. Remus felt a cold chill run over his skin as he nodded.

'I'll admit to feeling a little tingle when we kissed, so physically; yes. I do find him attractive. And I think he's a really great guy - most of the time. But there's something missing….he's not you.' She smiled at him and he felt a little relief.

'So, no chance you'll be dumping me for him?' He asked the question casually, but he was a little anxious.

'Never,' she said firmly, kissing him. 'Now, a threesome, we'll talk about,' she added, laughing at the look on his face. 'I'm just kidding, babe.'

He laughed and kissed her, pushing her back onto the bed. She let him kiss her for a moment, then, using her wandless magic, flipped him onto his back and climbed on top of him.

'Threesome, huh?' he mumbled as she licked her way down his chest. 'I wonder if Lily would be interested in that? Ouch!'

Krystal looked up at him after biting his stomach sharply. 'You couldn't handle two women, Remus Lupin,' she said, with a glare.

'I don't know,' he returned with a grin. 'I quite enjoyed the mental image you gave me of you and Lily making out when you were younger. I love to see that n……'

His voice trailed off as her lips found him, sucking him back deep into her mouth. He felt the tip of him hit the back of her throat and he nearly lost it right then. Her hand crept down between his legs and he felt her cupping his balls; fondling him. Dropping his head back, he thrust up hard into her mouth, groaning when she scraped her teeth lightly on him, then laved him with her tongue. She had taken him deeper than she ever had before, and for the first time, he completely disappeared into her mouth. It felt tighter and he knew he must be in her throat. A few more thrusts into that warm, wet softness bought him to the very end of his control, and when she added a little extra suction, he exploded, saying, 'Fuck!' loudly as his release shook him like it never had before.

A minute later, still gasping for air with his heart racing, Krystal straddled him, leaning over so her face was above his.

She raised her eyebrows and said with a self satisfied smile, 'I think you've got your hands full with the one woman you've got, buddy.'

There were few chances for a night like the one in the Room of Requirement for the Seventh Years as the countdown to exams began in earnest. They spent long hours studying and, when the day of the first exam dawned, they finally felt ready. For a week, they stretched their minds to remember everything they'd been taught in the last seven years; and when it was finally over, didn't feel like celebrating; instead collapsed in a heap on Remus' bed and slept.

Waking up the next morning, after a very private celebration, Remus and Krystal joined their friends in the common room. Classes were now over for the Seventh Years, and they had arranged a party for that night. Professor McGonagall had reluctantly been convinced to donate her classroom for an informal dance/disco, as long as they tidied up before the younger students had class the next day. The Marauders snuck off to Hogsmeade, returning with bagfuls of sweets and drinks, including a few bottles of Firewhiskey Sirius slipped into his bag.

After dinner that night, the girls ran to their rooms to get ready; the boys taking their time, struggling into some clean dressy clothes after a quick shower. They waited in the common room for their dates, Peter scarpering off to meet his Hufflepuff date downstairs. The younger students watched interestedly as the girls emerged. Alice and Mary came down from their room first, to wolf whistles from the watching crowd. They blushed and moved quickly over to their dates, Frank and Sirius.

Lily and Krystal took a little longer, Remus and James rocking on their heels impatiently, until Alice laughed and said, 'Don't worry, boys. It'll be worth the wait. I wish I could wear clothes that tight.'

Remus and James stared at her for a moment, then both of them grinned, imagining their girlfriends in skin tight clothing.

Remus had turned to talk to Sirius when he saw his friends' face change, and heard James whisper, 'Holy shit!'

The common room had gone silent for a moment, then cat calls and wolf whistles rang out from all around. He spun around quickly, and his mouth fell open. Lily looked lovely, he was sure, but he only had eyes for Krystal.

She was wearing tight black pants; _really_ tight black pants. A shiny silver coloured top, held up by tiny straps, and dipping in the front to give him a peek of cleavage. Large hoops were in her ears, and she had glitter through her hair, which hung loose around her face and down past her shoulders. Her lips shone with gloss and her eyes looked huge. Her boots gave her a little extra height which Remus noticed when she walked over to him and kissed him.

'You'd think this lot had never seen a girl before,' she laughed, then looked at him gaping at her and tipped her head to the side.

'Why do you always looked so surprised to see me looking good?' she grumbled. He put his arms around her and pulled her tight against him, so she could feel the instant hard on she'd given him.

'I'm not speechless because I'm surprised, I'm speechless because I have no blood left in my upper body,' he said, slightly distracted by the fact his hands had fallen on bare skin.

He turned her to see her shirt was almost backless, making it obvious she wore nothing under it. He was pleased to see that she'd put some weight back on; the curves that made him pant were back.

'God!' he swore, looking back at her face. 'Do we have to go? Can't we just stay here?' Krystal laughed and grabbed his hands.

'Plenty of time for that,' she said, dragging him to the portrait hole. She turned to climb through it and he groaned as his eyes fell on her butt - the pants leaving no doubt that it was indeed perfect.

'Jesus,' Sirius said softly, and Remus guessed he'd seen it too.

The room looked fantastic, like a disco instead of a classroom, thanks to some effort from the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff girls. Music was playing loudly - one of the Ravenclaw girls cast a Silencing Spell around the room to stop the noise travelling, and students were already dancing. Live fairies darted around the room like shooting stars and food and drinks were stacked around the edges of the room.

'Lets dance,' said Krystal straight away, pulling Remus onto the makeshift dance floor.

They danced for nearly an hour, Remus finally begging her to give him a break. She poked her tongue out at him, and dragged James, who'd just sat down exhausted with Lily, back up to dance with her. Lily laughed at her boyfriends' face as Remus took James' seat.

'Where does she get the energy?' he asked her, watching as she danced around James, who had forgotten his own tiredness in the face of her contagious enthusiasm and, Remus thought privately, seeing James' eyes flicker down, the sight of her wriggling ass.

'Forget energy, how can she dance in those shoes?' Lily said, admiring the boots.

Remus smiled, and looked over at Lily. 'You look really pretty, Lily,' he said, getting his first good look at her.

She was wearing tight white pants and a green top made of a similar sparkling material as Krystal's. She also had glitter in her hair and looked lovely.

'Thanks, Remus,' she said with a grin.

They talked quietly for a while until James, red faced and puffing, joined them, flopping into the seat on the other side of Remus, taking the drink out of his friend's hand and guzzling it.

'Where does she get the energy?' he asked, when he'd got his breath back. Remus laughed and looked around.

'Where is she?' he asked James, who waved his hand vaguely.

'She grabbed Sirius to dance with her. They're out there somewhere,' he said, getting slowly to his feet. 'I'm starved. Come on, Lil. Feed me.'

Lily shook her head, but got to her feet and followed him.

Remus stood and looked around the dancing students. He couldn't see them anywhere at first, and then a gap appeared in the throng, and he saw them talking in a far corner of the classroom. He made his way over; half way there when he saw Krystal take Sirius' face in her hands and kiss him on the lips.

Stopping in his tracks, he felt a rush of shock. Had he just seen what he thought he'd seen? As he watched, they parted and Krystal said something, to which Sirius nodded. They embraced, holding each other for longer than Remus considered necessary, then he saw Sirius laugh. They moved away from each other, and Krystal pulled him out onto the dance floor.

Remus moved back to his seat, frowning. Despite everything they'd kept from him, he did trust his girlfriend and his friend, but that hadn't looked good. Knowing how Sirius felt about Krys, and how she was attracted to him - it made him nervous. Seeing them move through the crowd towards him, he tried to smile. Krystal threw herself onto his lap and kissed him.

'Feeling better now, piker?' she asked, grinning and fanning herself with her hand. Sirius sat next to him and stretched.

'Good party,' he commented, looking around. 'Time to break out the Firewhiskey soon, Remus. Gonna play truth or dare?'

Remus looked at him, and suddenly had to know. 'Alright, we'll start now. Truth - why are you kissing my girlfriend in dark corners?'

Sirius looked a little stunned then his eyes flicked to Krystal, who turned on Remus' lap to look at him.

'Remus, it wasn't anything…' But Sirius interrupted her.

'No, Krys. I…I'm sorry, Remus. We were talking and I….' He stopped, running his hand through his hair. 'Krys, could you leave us alone for a minute?' he asked, looking at her with pleading eyes.

Krystal opened her mouth to argue, but closed it again. She looked at him, then at Remus.

She kissed Remus on the cheek, whispering, 'Be gentle with him, please,' before she stood and moved to talk to Lily.

Sirius was picking at his fingernails when Remus said, 'Do you love her?', startling him. He looked up surprised, then comprehension spread across his face.

'She told you?' he said, looking back down at the ground.

'She didn't want to - I guessed and she couldn't lie to me,' Remus said, softening a little when he saw his friends' face. 'Do you?'

Sirius shook his head. 'I don't know,' he said softly. 'Maybe. I think so.' He looked up at Remus.

'I'm sorry. I would never interfere in your relationship, Moony. We were just talking then, and I told her I wished I'd been a bit less of a prat back in Third Year to her. I tried to kiss her in the Post Office, you know, and she told me to bugger off.'

He laughed a little.

'She did kiss me just now, but it was nothing, Remus. A goodbye kiss. I told her I was planning on keeping my distance for a while after we leave. I think it's best. I need to find someone to make me as happy as she makes you.'

Remus understood. Krystal was naturally affectionate, and she and Sirius had always been playfully flirty with each other. It didn't take a stretch of his imagination to see Krystal kissing Sirius goodbye like that.

'She told me you'd both miss me, then she kissed me,' Sirius continued. 'She told me to make certain I didn't spend too long away, and I promised her I'd be back for your engagement party, which I'm assuming won't be too far away.'

He looked at Remus, who wasn't particularly angry anymore, but wanted to hear Sirius version of events. 'And when you kissed her at the party? And by the lake?' he asked, looking at his friend.

Sirius looked pained, and sighed. 'I know I should never have allowed myself to be tempted but I was,' he said.

'You weren't together, but that's no excuse. I knew you liked her. The kiss at the party - it wasn't anything more than an impulsive peck on the lips before I realised what I'd done. She told me she didn't feel anything for me and that was that. Then, at the lake - she was so angry with you, so upset. She kissed me, but I didn't stop her; I kissed her back.'

He shook his head. 'I felt like such a shit, Moony. She was vulnerable and for a few minutes, I took advantage of it, but I stopped before it went any further.'

Sirius turned to face him, his eyes regretful. 'I swear, it happened twice, before you two got together, and each time it was only a kiss. I would never have let it be anything else. You're my mate. You're both my mates. I wouldn't have gone there.'

Remus nodded. 'Yeah, I know. I suppose I'm just a bit insecure after all that's happened, and you and Krys are close…..' he shrugged. They looked at each other for a moment then, as one, leaned over and hugged quickly.

'You don't have to stay away from us, do you?' asked Remus, looking down at his feet.

Sirius looked over to where Krystal stood and sighed wearily. 'If it was just a physical thing, it wouldn't worry me. I could ignore it. But it's not, and I think I just need some space for a while to get my head together. She's pretty special, Remus,' he said, and Remus nodded.

'I guess I can't blame you. She is fantastic,' Remus said, also looking over at his girlfriend. 'I'm damn lucky. Don't stay away too long, Pads.' He looked at his friend with a concerned expression.

'Yeah, well, I haven't gone yet. Let's break out that Firewhiskey,' Sirius said cheerfully, standing up.

Remus laughed and stood too, moving over to where Krystal was talking to Frank Longbottom.

He put his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. Frank grinned and moved away to get another drink. Krystal turned her head to kiss him on the temple.

'Alright?' she asked, smiling when he nodded.

'Come and dance with me again,' he said, kissing her neck as he heard a slower song begin.

Many Seventh Years joined them, enjoying being able to spend time with each other without being under a teacher's watchful eye. Some snuck off into corners, making the most of the time, but Remus wrapped his arms around Krystal and they danced closely together until the rubbing of their bodies became too much to stand, and they crept off to a nearby cupboard, interrupting Sirius and Mary, who had already laid claim to it.

'Whoops! Sorry, Pads,' Krystal grinned, giggling as she and Remus shut the door.

'There's an image I'll never get rid of,' she muttered as they found an empty cupboard.

Remus had some difficulty getting her pants off, eventually settling for getting one leg peeled down before he pushed her up against the door, lifting her as he slid inside her body. They moved together urgently, Remus whispering the most erotic suggestions into her ear about what he'd do to her when they moved in together, until Krystal gasped, raking her nails over his back and Remus groaned loudly, thrusting hard into her as they both convulsed uncontrollably.

Their last day at Hogwarts was spent in pain for those who had partaken in Sirius' Firewhiskey; the potions master, Professor Slughorn, stubbornly refusing to give out any cures. Krystal and Remus spent the day with their friends, especially Sirius, who they didn't expect to see much of for a while.

As they walked around the castle grounds by themselves a bit later, they found the spot they practiced their defence in, and lay on the grass, watching the clouds go by, occasionally pointing out the shapes they could see in them - just as they used to. When the sun set, they had their last dinner at the castle, and settled into the common room.

Krystal had a camera and Lily insisted that she take photos of the graduating Gryffindors. She set it up, shushing them as they called her to quickly get in the photo. Moving fast, she raced over to Lily, who pulled her down and hugged her as the camera went off. They took several more photos, before saying goodnight and disappearing into their rooms for their last night at Hogwarts.

Saying goodbye to their friends was a sad occasion the next evening as the Hogwarts Express pulled up to the station. Some Krystal knew she'd be seeing again soon; some she knew she might never see again. She hugged Sirius especially hard, with him whispering in her ear to watch out for Remus for him. Remus also hugged him, telling him to come and visit as soon as he was able. Krystal's parents were there to pick her up with Remus' parents. They were taking the two of them out for dinner to celebrate their graduation.

It was a lovely dinner. Their parent's got along well, and spent the night competing to see who could embarrass their child the most. Remus' mother won, with a story about a toilet training, 2 year old Remus, who thought that toilets in showrooms weren't just for show. Remus put his head on the table, groaning at the retelling, poking Krystal in the ribs as she laughed so much her eyes watered.

During dessert, talk turned to their plans now that school had finished.

'I thought I'd just hang around the house for the next couple of years,' teased Krystal, grinning at her father. 'You don't mind putting off retirement for a few more years, do you dad?'

Mr O'Connor shook his head despairingly and Remus put them out of their misery.

'I got a response from the publishers. They've offered me that proof reading job,' he said, looking over at his father.

He knew his dad had been worried he wouldn't be able to get any work. He'd applied to several book publishers for editing or proof reading jobs and one had contacted him a couple of days ago.

'It's perfect - I can work from home, and it doesn't matter that I'll need to take days off, as long as I catch up.'

Krystal smiled proudly at him, as his parents congratulated him. Krystal then shared her own news with their parents.

'Albus isn't happy with the way Defence is getting taught and today he asked me to help him rewrite the DADA curriculum for Hogwarts, and then, when the DADA teacher retires after next year, he asked me if I'd join the staff and teach.'

Remus smiled, knowing how happy she was to put her love of defence to good use. Despite the time it took up, she'd enjoyed showing the young students how to use spells and was looking forward to trying to include a lot more practical defence in the school.

It was obvious to both of their parents that the two were very happy, and they congratulated the both of them. Krystal's dad cleared his throat.

'Well, I'd like to give you your graduation present now, if that's alright,' he said, glancing over at Remus' parents, who smiled.

'I'm always up for presents, dad,' she said, bouncing a little in her seat. Remus put his hand on her knee, and she stopped, as always calming down with his touch. Her father reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box and handed it to Krystal.

'This is for the both of you, actually,' he said, looking at Remus.

Krystal and Remus were startled, and Krystal looked at Remus. 'You open it,' she said, handing the box to him.

He looked at Mr O'Connor who smiled and said, 'Go ahead. It's your present too.' Remus opened the box, and he and Krystal peered into it, frowning when they saw the gift.

'Um,' said Krystal, with a puzzled look. She reached into the box and held up the contents. 'It's a key, dad.'

Her mother laughed, and the other's smiled.

'Yes, it is, Krys. I see all those years of education have paid off,' she joked, smiling as her daughter glared at her.

'It's the key to Campbell Cottage, Krys,' her father said. 'Your grandmother's old house. We're giving it to you and Remus. The deed's in there - in both your names.'

Remus stared at him, open mouthed. 'Thank you, but I can't accept that, sir,' he began, but Mr O'Connor held up his hand.

'Krystal's grandmother always wanted her to have that house, so she will. You are a part of her life and, unless I'm very much mistaken, I'm guessing that permission for a proposal won't be too far away?'

He looked at the young couple, who looked at each other and smiled.

Remus had owled Mr O'Connor asking for his permission to marry his daughter 'as soon as she says I'm allowed to propose.' Krystal's dad made a secret visit to the castle and spoke to Remus for a long time in Dumbledore's' office, finally giving his blessing when Remus spoke so passionately about how much he loved Krystal and intended to look after her.

'Yeah,' said Remus, lifting Krystal's hand and kissing it. 'I wanted to marry her today, but she's been the practical one - for a change. She still wouldn't let me propose. She's been a bit bossy, actually.'

Krystal smacked him lightly on the chest, but smiled. 'I wanted us to get settled somewhere first. Jobs, house, then get married. I know it's usually me that's a little impulsive…,'

She glared at her mother, who'd let out a snort of laughter. 'Alright, a lot impulsive. But this is too important to mess up. I want to make sure we get it right.'

She looked at all four parents. 'I know you're all worried about what might happen in the future for us, but we can't do anything about the way other people might see us. We can only do what's right for us, and say to hell with them.'

Krystal's father looked at them both. 'I've never seen you being so sensible, Krys. Remus must be a good influence.' He smiled as his daughter shook her head and rolled her eyes.

'You people have such little faith in me sometimes,' she grumbled, with a small smile.

Her father continued. 'I know I wasn't very supportive of your relationship at first; you're both still so young, and you're going to be facing challenges that I wish you didn't have to face, but I have seen how much you…how much you love each other…' His voice got a bit hoarse, and Krystal reached over to take his hand. He smiled at her, then looked at Remus.

'We want to show you that we support your relationship, and to tell you that…well, we couldn't have asked for a better man to look after our girl.'

Remus was speechless, and he felt Krystal squeeze his hand before she stood. 'Thank you, dad,' she said, and hugged him hard. Remus also got to his feet and held out his hand.

'Thank you, sir,' he said, as Krystal's father stood. 'I don't know what I did to deserve her, but I swear, I'll look after her.'

Mr O'Connor shook his hand, then embraced him. 'Welcome to the family, Remus,' he said as they parted. Remus grinned, and Krystal let out a little squeal and hugged him tight. The other's laughed, and Krystal's mother got up to hug them both.

'Alright, our turn now,' said Mr Lupin, who turned to his teary eyed wife. She handed him an envelope.

'Now, it's not a house,' he warned, with a smile. 'But it will help you to buy stuff to fill that house, and leave a little for any rough times.'

Remus' smile faded a little. He knew that, unlike Krystal's family, his parents weren't particularly well off.

'Stop frowning, Remus,' said his mother, smiling with understanding at her son. 'It's fine, really.'

He took the envelope off his father and handed it to Krystal. She shot him a look, silently asking if everything was alright. He nodded, and she opened the envelope, her breath escaping in a sharp blast when she saw the figure on the cheque. She handed it to Remus with a stunned look on her face, which was reflected on his as he saw the amount.

'We can't take that,' Krystal said, shaking her head. She knew that Remus' family weren't poor like Sev's, but that they watched their money carefully. 'It's too much.'

But Mr Lupin shook his head.

'That's Remus' money. We've been putting it aside since he was born and it's grown quite a bit. It's your's now. Both of yours.'

Remus swallowed hard and walked around the table to hug his parent's. 'Thank you,' he said.

Krystal had followed him and she too embraced his family, thanking them.

'I'm glad we can help you both out,' said Mr Lupin. 'You're good for him, Krystal. He needed someone like you. I'm glad you found each other.'

Remus and Krystal looked at each other, a little shell shocked by their parents generosity and support.

'You've got no excuses now,' said Remus, grinning at Krystal, referring to her insistence they get a house and jobs before talking marriage again. 'When are you going to let me ask again?'

'Let's just see if I can live with you, first,' she teased, putting her arms around his shoulders. 'You're so messy, I don't know if I'll be able to stand it.'

He laughed, happier than he could ever remember being.


	20. Chapter 20

**Very short chapter - split it in half as second half is very important. This is too - if you like hot, moving in together sex!**

**Oh and The Fleaks - I worked in your foot reference request - kind of. Best I could do - hope it works for ya!**

Chapter Twenty

It took nearly a month before the cottage was habitable, Remus and Krystal growing frustrated at the enforced separation each night. The three room cottage had been sitting unoccupied since Krystal's grandmother died eight years earlier, and dust and grime had settled. Krystal, her mother and Remus' mother used a Cleaning spell to lift the worst of the dirt, but it still needed some old fashioned Muggle cleaning also. Krystal's father and Remus worked on the outside, spelling off most of the grime and repainting the whole house, while Remus' father took a day off work to help clean down the small veranda.

Krystal and Remus painted the inside blue and yellow, then Krystal dragged Mrs Lupin and her mother shopping for everything they would need to fill her new home. Remus' mother looked uncomfortable when her son met them to help choose a bed. Mrs O'Connor noticed and took her off to look at curtains, and she later admitted to Krystal, 'I guess I still think of him as my little boy. It's hard to accept he's not anymore.'

Krystal's father, too, was having some trouble letting go, only glancing quickly at the finished bedroom with a pink face.

'You're still his baby, Krys,' said her mother, when she'd asked about it. 'He thought he'd have a bit more time to get used to that fact you're not his little girl anymore. He likes Remus and he'll support you both, but you are still so young, honey, and he's having some trouble accepting Remus'….illness. He can't bring himself to read the books about it; he's worried for you both.'

She understood, and shooed Remus back to his parent's house one evening, she and her dad spending time together fixing the bathroom plumbing. She explained a little about lycanthropy, and her father expressed his concerns for her for the first time, many of which were the same fears that Mr Lupin had for them.

'Dad, Remus and I have talked about all of these things - he refused to allow me to even consider dating him for a while. He used the same arguments you did,' she told him.

'I'm not going to tell you that I'm not disappointed about some things we have to give up, but I'm willing to accept it because I love him. He makes me so happy, dad. The werewolf is a such a tiny part of him. I just wish everyone would take the time to see how wonderful he is, then it wouldn't matter in the slightest that he changes for a few hours each month.'

After that night, Remus noticed a lighter side to the man he was still ever so slightly afraid of; surprised but pleased when Mr O'Connor took he and his father out for a drink in a local pub a couple of days after his monthly transformation. They'd never talked about his affliction before, but they did that night. The older man was shocked to learn about what he went through when he changed, but Remus assured him he would be nowhere near Krystal when they occurred.

'I would never put her in any danger,' he told the man. 'I'll be miles away from her, in a secure area.'

Mr Lupin quietly asked Remus to make himself scarce for a while, and the two fathers talked. At the end of the evening, Mr O'Connor was obviously still not comfortable with Remus' dark side, but it wasn't such a mystery for him anymore.

The night before they moved in, James and Lily came over to see the house, the four of them toasting the now sparkling house with mead. They sat on the bare wooden floor, laughing and catching up. James was beginning Auror training soon and Lily was applying for jobs in the Ministry still, not having found one that she was happy with yet. Sirius had moved out of the Potter's, buying his own place and was dating.

'You should see her, Krys,' said Lily, shaking her head in disgust as Krystal showed her the bedroom. 'A big boobed, bleached blonde tart with a brain that a troll would be happy to have. How is he ever going to get over you with someone like that?'

Krystal looked a little startled and Lily smiled. 'We knew. James and I. He needed someone to talk to, and he couldn't go to you or Remus, could he?'

Krystal sat heavily on the bed, her face miserable. 'Did he really care that much?' she asked, looking up at Lily, who sat down next to her.

'Yes,' she said, gently. 'But he knows it would never have worked with you two. You're both too stubborn, too quick tempered. You would have been no good for each other.'

'I really didn't know he felt that strongly, Lily,' she said sadly. 'He joked about it, and I thought it was just a bit of a crush. I would have kept my distance sooner if I knew.'

Lily nodded. 'I know,' she said. 'And so does he - that's why he never told you. He values your friendship, Krys, and he didn't want to mess that up. He just needs a bit of space now, and a bit of perspective. Feelings can seem a lot more intense than they really are sometimes. He knew we were coming tonight, and he sends his love to you both.'

James and Remus joined them and the conversation ended as James threw himself on the new bed, asking if they'd given it a test run yet, earning him a whack across the head from Lily.

Talk turned serious soon though, when James mentioned the hostilities that were beginning to increase. A dark wizard was gathering supporters for his quest to rid the wizarding world of half bloods, half breeds and Muggle borns. Remus was particularly upset about this; life was hard enough as it was for him, without this kind of prejudice becoming more powerful.

'Dumbledore's formed a secret society, The Order of the Phoenix, to fight him - Lord Voldemort,' James said, looking at Remus.

'Can we join?' he asked, sitting up straighter. Krystal frowned; Albus hadn't told her about this.

James nodded, adding, 'After Christmas, he said. 'I talked to him and he wants us to wait just a little while. We're only just of age,' he said.

Remus looked a little disappointed. 'We're eighteen,' he said, looking at Krystal. 'We should be able to join now.'

He frowned but said to James, 'Tell me when you're ready. We'll come and join too, won't we, Krys?'

She nodded, still wondering why Albus hadn't told her about this society. He had to know she'd want to join.

There was no time to think about secret societies the next day, as the last of their furniture arrived, and they moved into the cottage.

'That's the last of Remus' stuff,' said Mr Lupin, putting the box down and collapsing on the new couch. His wife, packing away groceries in the kitchen, laughed at him.

'It could have been worse, love,' she said, looking over at Krystal. 'We could be Krys' parents; they're still bringing stuff over.'

Krystal smiled. 'I can't seem to bring myself to leave much behind,' she admitted, taking Mr Lupin a Butterbeer and sitting down next to him.

'God, what is that?' she exclaimed, holding up a very old stuffed toy that had been in Remus' box.

His father laughed. 'Well, I don't think any of us are sure anymore what that is,' he said, smiling as he watched Krystal holding it gingerly between two fingers. 'Remus had a favourite bunny when he was little, but I'm not even sure that's it.'

Krystal raised an eyebrow, and grimaced. 'Well, I suppose if he wants to keep it….' she said, lowering it back into the box, and rubbing her hands along her jeans.

She stood and took the box into the bedroom as her parents and Remus walked in with the last of her stuff.

'I think Remus might be only just realising what he's gotten into,' Krystal's father laughed. 'He got a good look at Krystal's wardrobe today - he's going to have to get a second job to pay for her upkeep.'

'Hilarious, dad,' said Krystal, sarcastically, coming back into the room and smiling at Remus.

'I don't know where we're going to put all this stuff, Krys,' he said with a smile at his girlfriend.

'Krystal hasn't met a pair of shoes she didn't have to have,' explained her mother to Mrs Lupin, who nodded understandingly. 'She's got this thing about her feet…'

'I feel the same about handbags,' she confessed, hearing her husband snort in agreement.

With much persuasion from Remus, Krystal culled some of her clothes and shoes.

'I don't know what I was thinking when I bought that,' she said scathingly as she threw a striped shirt on the reject pile.

Remus grinned and held up a very scant g string. 'Now, how come I haven't seen this before?' he asked, laughing as she snatched it out of his hands.

'Lily bought it for me as a joke,' she explained, blushing a little as she threw it onto the reject pile.

She saw Remus reach over and pick the underwear up. 'You only had to ask, Remus,' she said, turning to look at him. 'If you like to wear women's knickers…..'

Her words were lost as he laughed and kissed her. It had been two weeks since they'd had some time alone, and their kiss quickly deepened, Remus pushing her over onto the pile of clothes on the floor. Krystal moaned when she felt his tongue run over her lip, and lifted herself up against him, feeling the answering pressure as he pushed his hips into hers.

'Wear it for me tonight?' he asked, moving his mouth across her jaw, as his hands tucked the underpants into the pocket of her shorts.

'Uh huh,' she mumbled, not really knowing what she was agreeing to, but deciding that, as long as he kept licking at her skin, she didn't care.

A minute later they heard a knock on the partially closed door, and hastily sat up, straightening their clothes as Krystal's mother poked her head into the room.

'Oops!' she said, when she saw their red faces. 'How are we going with those clothes, Krys? Your dad and I are going to get dinner, and I'll drop them at the charity bins.'

'Nearly done,' she said, ignoring her mother's grin as she quickly sorting the remaining clothes, giving four overflowing boxes to her parents to drop off.

They had dinner with all four parents at her grandmother's old pine table, which Remus had scrubbed back and revarnished for her. Finally, Remus' father stood up, and with a hug for each of them, told his wife it was time to go. Mrs Lupin became a little teary saying goodbye to her son, Remus whispering reassuring words to her as he hugged her. Krystal's parents also stood to leave, her mother soothing her husband as his eyes watered.

'Must be the paint fumes,' he said, hugging Krystal so tight she couldn't breath. They apparated back to their houses, leaving Krystal and Remus alone for the first time in their home.

They looked at each other for a moment, then grinned.

'We should unpack some of this stuff,' said Krystal, as her hands moved down his chest. 'Mmm,' he said, his own hands quickly pulling the elastic band out of her hair, letting it fall down to her shoulders.

'There's still a lot to do,' she said, clutching the hem of his shirt and pulling it up over his head.

He nodded and made a small noise of agreement as his hands worked on her buttons, quickly undoing them and sliding her shirt off her shoulders. He gently moved her backwards, walking towards the bedroom as her hands fell to his jeans.

'We need to talk about that ratty toy you want to keep, too,' she said, a little shakily as he unclasped her bra, throwing it onto the floor as they walked through the doorway of their bedroom. Her fingers had undone his jeans, and she yanked them down.

'I'm not throwing it out,' he replied, brushing his hands over her breasts and then quickly undid her denim shorts, sliding his hands over her ass, pushing them off.

'Ok,' she said, hearing his gasp as he realised she'd put on the g string.

'Do you have any idea how bloody uncomfortable these things are?' she grumbled half heartedly, as he pulled away from her to look at the tiny scrap of fabric.

When he looked back at her face, his eyes were dark and she thought it was worth every second of discomfort to see that hungry look.

'Can I rip it off you?' he asked, his eyes now glittering.

She smiled, an wicked grin, then turned, bending over and leaning on the bed so her ass was pointing towards him. She slapped a cheek and wriggled her butt.

'Have your way with me,' she offered with a mischievous wink, gasping when he grabbed her arm and pulled her around against his body, and kissed her hard, running his hands over her breasts.

His head sank down and he lifted her a little as he sucked a nipple into his mouth, biting gently. She heard his moan, and she made a little noise in her throat when his tongue circled her nipple. As he lavished attention on her breasts, his fingers found what they were searching for, slipping between them into her underwear to flick her clit, grinning when her hips thrust forward.

'God, Remus,' she moaned as she felt her knees going weak.

Her hands found his rock hard erection and stroked quickly, bringing him close to the end of his control. As she put a finger in her mouth and sucked his fluid off, he growled and spun her around, bending her back over as she'd done before. She laughed and moved her legs apart eagerly to allow him access. He groaned as he rubbed his hands over her ass before he grasped the fabric of the g string and tugged hard. She heard it tear, and it fell to the ground as she felt him push the tip of his stiff penis into her. He stopped, and she pushed back impatiently, hearing his laugh. He grasped her hips, pulled out then thrust back into her hard, making her cry out.

Moving together, Remus controlled the pace, refusing to speed up when she tried to move faster. His fingers moved around to stroke her, and she heard him groan, his movements became urgent, more erratic.

'Remus,' she moaned, so close. 'Harder. Please?'

She heard his muffled curse as he pulled her back towards him, slamming hard into her. Echoing his curse, she was on the edge when she felt him slap her ass sharply and say, 'Come for me, Krys'.

The sting of his slap and his words sent her crashing over the peak, screaming out her pleasure. A couple more thrusts, and Remus was at the end, pushing himself deeper as he leant over her, biting her shoulder gently as he shuddered.

Falling forwards onto the bed, Remus rolled off her. They lay on the edge of the bed for a few minutes, until they were breathing normally again.

'We still didn't christen the bed,' he commented, hearing her muffled laughter. He sat up and reached for his wand. He flicked it at the door and it slammed shut. He then pointed it at Krystal and cast a Cleansing spell.

'And the others,' she murmured, not particularly comfortable where she lay but too exhausted to move.

Remus mumbled the contraceptive spells and threw his wand back on the bedside table.

He grabbed Krystal and dragged her up the bed until they were laying back against the pillows. Pulling the sheets over them, he saw Krystal was very nearly asleep. He grinned and lay down, hearing her soft sigh when he wrapped his arms around her. He stroked his hand down her back, unable to believe they were alone, in their own home, in their own bed. He smiled again before sleep claimed him.

Months past, and Krystal and Remus fell into an easy routine with each other. They loved living together, being alone together. Remus asked Krystal regularly if he could propose to her yet, but she laughed and told him to have some patience.

'I want to make sure we are ready, Remus,' she said, despite his objections that he was sure. 'I know I want to spend my life with you, too,' she told him. 'But what's the hurry? See if you can stand my shoe addiction for a little while longer.'

Just before Christmas, an owl arrived with the first manuscript for Remus to begin proof reading, and he enthusiastically began. Krystal had been working with the defence teacher at Hogwarts in September and he was happy about the changes she wanted to make to lessons for the next year.

Christmas was spent at their house with their parents, who were happy to hear their lives were going so well. James and Lily turned up in the afternoon after they left, with Peter and, to Remus and Krystal's delight, a beaming Sirius. Remus greeted his friends with a hug; he and Sirius teasing each other over their now quite long hair.

Krystal smiled at Peter, and gave Sirius a quick hug, feeling a little self conscious about how she interacted with him. She saw him watching her later, a knowing look on his face. They had leftovers for dinner, James and Lily telling them all that they were joining the Order the next week.

'Sirius and Peter are joining too,' said James, sipping his drink. 'Are you guys coming?' Remus nodded, and Krystal smiled, a little distractedly.

She had asked Albus about the Order and he had been vague, distant with her. She was confused by his refusal to discuss the society with her, and a little angry. As the conversation continued, she felt a feeling of frustration come over her, and she excused herself, slipping out the back door unnoticed. Or so she thought.

'Hey,' Sirius voice was behind her and she spun around, startled.

'God, you frightened me, Pads,' she breathed, hand over her thumping heart. She'd been lost in her thoughts and hadn't heard him approach.

'Sorry,' he grinned. They looked at each other for a few seconds.

'It never used to be this awkward between us,' he murmured, watching her fidget in discomfort. 'I'm sorry about that.'

She shook her head, and moved over to the stairs. She sat with a sigh, and he copied her.

'How have you been, Sirius?' she asked, her voice low.

'Good,' he said lightly. 'I got my own place, I've started Auror training with James, I'm seeing someone. Life is good.'

Krystal looked at him closely. 'That's what you told Remus,' she said flatly. 'And it sounded like a load of crap then too. Now, tell me the truth.' He turned and looked at her in surprise, then let out a soft laugh.

'It's alright, Krys,' he said softly. 'I'm still working on it.' He reached over and took her hand. 'I don't want things to be awkward between us, though. Please don't treat me differently now.'

Her face must have shown her uncertainty and he squeezed her hand tightly. 'This is my problem and I'll work it out. It's not your fault you're irresistible.' She laughed and so did he, feeling some of the tension between them disappear.

They talked for a while longer, before the cold began to seep into their bones, and they stood to go back inside.

'Krys,' he said, stopping her before she opened the door. His hand was on her arm, and she turned. 'I need to know. If you'd never met Remus, would there have been a chance?'

She looked at him, seeing the uncertainty in his eyes and nodded. 'Yes,' she said softly. 'There would have been a chance.'

He smiled at her, and leaned forward to kiss her lightly on the cheek. 'Thanks. I just needed to know.'

She suddenly grabbed his face, and leaned into him, kissing him on the lips gently; chastely. He closed his eyes and let her kiss him, and when she pulled away, she smiled.

'I had my first kiss with you, you know,' she said softly. 'You'll always be special to me, Siri.'

'I'll settle for that,' he said, knowing she was trying to give him some closure. He smiled and they embraced.

It felt like goodbye and Krystal suddenly felt as though this was the last time they would be together like this. Her eyes filled with tears, which she hurriedly blinked away.

'I do love you, Pads' she said softly. 'If it wasn't Remus, it would have been you.'

She felt him nod, and he whispered, 'I love you too.' They looked at each other for a moment before Sirius smiled.

'Come on, lets get in before I freeze my nuts off,' he said, opening the door.


	21. Chapter 20B

**Alright, people. Time to get serious. Pay lots of attention in this chappie coz it kind of sets the tone for the other thirty or so chapters. (He he! Didn't know it'd be so long didya?)**

**Short chapter - split from the last as I didn't want you getting distracted before this bit. Um, probably got lots of plot holes but If you knew how many times I've rewritten...be kind. Gets very angsty from here. Brace yourself.**

**Thanks for reviews! Please, sir. I'd like some more? (cap in hand)**

Chapter 20B

Remus and Krystal apparated to Hogwarts the next week. The grounds and halls were almost deserted; school holidays having emptied them. They made their way to Dumbledore's office, laughing as they passed Filtch's storage cupboard where Krystal had once left her torn knickers.

They were here to sign up for the Order of the Phoenix, the society Dumbledore headed to try and fight the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort. They were nervous, but determined to fight. Krystal came from a very old wizarding family, but Remus was a half blood, and a half breed, and the prejudice that Voldemort was spreading was hurting him.

They knocked on his office door and heard him call, 'Enter.' His office looked the same as they remembered it from six months ago. Dumbledore stood as they entered the room and walked around his desk to welcome them, shaking Remus' hand and hugging Krystal.

'It's marvellous to see you both looking so well,' he said. Remus smiled. Krystal might have looked wonderful, but he was a bit rough looking; the full moon was due the next night.

They took off their jackets and sat in the chairs he indicated and Remus didn't beat around the bush.

'We want to join the Order, Professor,' he said, leaning forward. 'We want to help you fight.'

Albus smiled gently, but Krystal saw the faint crease that appeared between his eyes. 'You are sure about this?' he asked, looking at Remus only. 'This will be a very dangerous, difficult battle; one from which not everyone will emerge unscathed.'

Krystal felt Remus squeeze her hand, and she spoke,' We're sure, Albus.'

Dumbledore looked at Krystal, his eyes searching hers. 'Wait outside please, Krystal,' he said, turning back to Remus.

Confused, she and Remus looked at each other, but she stood and walked out the door, closing it quietly behind her. She paced the small entry, as almost half an hour passed. Finally, Remus emerged and smiled at her.

'Your turn,' he said softly, kissing her quickly. She entered the room and sat down opposite her cousin, looking at him expectantly.

'I am sorry, Krystal,' he said, his voice low. ''I cannot allow you to join the Order at this time.'

She stared at him, frowning. 'I don't understand,' she said, bewildered. 'I thought you said we could join now?'

Albus stood up and began to pace, frustration in every step. 'Your friends have all become members of the Order, Krystal. It is you I cannot allow to join.'

Krystal stood up as well, moving so she stood in his path. 'Why?' she asked, her voice hurt. Albus looked at her.

'Krystal, do you remember the conversation we had in your Sixth Year about your gifts?' he asked, startling her a little with his change of direction. She nodded and he took her arms, moving them to the chairs in front of his desk.

'I told you then that there would be those you sought to use you; to corrupt you, to access your power. Lord Voldemort is one of those people.'

He stood again, seemingly unable to sit still. Krystal, on the other hand, was sitting as if carved from stone; for the first time in her life, perfectly still.

'I have had some information given to me; information that I, after some investigation, consider reliable.' He turned to look at her and she could see concern in his eyes. 'He will come after you, Krystal. He knows who you are; he wants what you can provide him: power. Almost limitless power.'

Krystal narrowed her eyes, not understanding. 'Limitless power?' she repeated. 'I don't have limitless power, Albus…'

'Yes, Krystal,' he said gently. 'If you choose to access it; to use it, you do.' She felt a chill run through her body and she felt cold as he continued. 'You have enormous reserves of magic inside you. You are capable of so much…'

He sighed, shaking his head. 'You know the women in your family have been powerful. They have been some of the strongest witches in our history.'

Krystal nodded, having read this in her history books, recognising the names of her ancestors.

'But none of them have had the strength that you have; the power that you could have,' he said, sitting beside her when he saw her frown. 'You know that you stopped a car with a shield charm when you were three years old. You probably don't recall this, you were so young, but not only did you stop that car hitting you, but you sent it into the air and crashed it into the far wall of your garage.'

Krystal looked startled: that wasn't what she remembered.

'We altered your memory, and we all played it down, made it seem like nothing unusual, but, Krystal, you should never have been able to do that. That's how we knew you were strong,' he said earnestly. 'I believe you have the capability to be the most powerful witch in your family, and given that your family is one of the strongest in wizarding history, that makes you a force to be reckoned with.'

She shook her head, her face showing her disbelief. He decided to try another tact.

'When you are feeling the strongest of emotions - anger, pleasure - your eyes turn silver?' he said, looking at her carefully.

Krystal thought about it: it was only when her feelings were strong that her eyes changed. When she was angry, and, she thought with a blush, Remus had told her that her eyes changed when she came.

'Yes,' she agreed. 'I thought that was just because I was really angry or happy. I mean, Remus' eyes change colour when he….'

She stopped, biting her tongue. She'd been about to tell him how dark Remus' eyes turned when he was aroused, but this man was like her grandfather.

'Remus' eyes would change only in one circumstance I expect,' he said with a slight smile. 'And that would be a physical response rather than magical I would think.'

'God,' she muttered, rubbing her forehead in embarrassment.

'It is a sign of power; soul altering power,' Albus said softly. 'You've heard people say the eyes are the windows to the soul? Well, that is true. Your eyes show the changes in your heart and soul when you feel these things. Your power has the ability to alter you; to change who you innately are.'

Krystal ran her hands through her hair, not able to take this all in. 'So, this magic is changing me?' she asked.

'Only if you let it,' he replied with a frown. 'Which brings me to my concerns in allowing you to join the Order. Everyone has both dark and light in them and while you are capable of feeling incredible pleasure, along with that comes the danger that you could sink into the deepest despair. You have a kind of darkness in you that comes along with powerful magic. Both the dark and light are strong, and, if you use it unwisely, the darkness will take you over; _has_ taken you over.'

'I've seen what happens to you when you hurt. You see sadness as a flaw, tears as a weakness,' he said, his eyes unhappy. 'You do not accept your pain; you push it away, cover it to avoid having to feel it until it explodes from you. I have seen you fight misery with anger, frigidity and self destruction, rather than accepting it, acknowledging it and fighting to overcome it.'

He could see fear beginning to take hold in her eyes. 'I am afraid for you, Krystal, and for those you love,' he continued, taking her hand. 'I fear that he will use those around you to get access to you. I fear that he will make it impossible for you to refuse him.'

He looked surprised as suddenly Krystal stood. 'I would never join him, Albus. Do you really think I would? I know what he stands for. For God's sake, Remus' life is difficult enough without bigots like this around,' she demanded, angry with him now. He held up his hands and waited for her to calm down.

'I fear that you may act without thought, Krystal,' he replied. 'That if he threatens you, threatens those you love, that you will react in order to avoid pain, just as you have done before. You do not make rational choices when you are this way; you do not ask for help - afraid of seeming weak. I cannot allow you to put the Order at risk.'

'I won't let myself,' she insisted. 'I'll fight it harder…'

But he shook his head and stood to stand in front of her. 'Allowing yourself to feel, and to overcome your pain and hurt takes strength of mind and character. If he seeks you out; if he hunts you and those you love, I don't believe you are emotionally strong enough to fight him; to fight the shadows that I know stir inside you. Not yet.'

Krystal stared at him in silence for a minute. 'How does Lord Voldemort know all this about me?' she asked. 'I've always used my wand….'

'Not always, Krystal,' he said, shaking his head sadly. 'Someone saw you disarm James Potter once without a wand, stopping him from embarrassing Severus Snape. They saw your eyes change.'

Krystal closed her eyes, recalling that day in Fifth Year. She didn't think anyone had noticed that she'd been the one to disarm James. Her eyes opened when Albus continued.

'This person mentioned it, quite innocently, to the wrong people, who recognised the signs of power,' he said, frustration in his voice. 'And unfortunately, word reached Lord Voldemort. This is why your parents and I wanted you to avoid using your gifts here. We were afraid of something like this happening.'

He looked at her and took a deep breath. 'I believe he has been….studying you. You would be a powerful weapon, Krystal, if he could corrupt you, and it seems he thinks he can. And I believe it would be too easy for him to do so.'

She looked a little insulted, and stood, turning away from him and staring out the window to the grounds below with a frown.

'You think he'll come after my family?' she finally said, her voice low.

'I wouldn't be surprised that, if you refuse his invitation, he would seek to use those closest to you to try and force your cooperation.'

Krystal felt a surge of anger, and felt a little cold inside. 'If I leave; go somewhere so he can't get to me, he'll still come after them, won't he?' she asked and he nodded.

'I believe so,' he said softly.

'Then get them out of harm's way,' she demanded. He nodded again.

'I will move your parents to a safe house,' he said, moving to stand behind her. 'They will be hidden; protected.'

She nodded, her frown deepening. 'What about Remus?' she asked, still with her back to him.

'Go home and stay there. It is a full moon tomorrow night,' Albus said quietly. 'I doubt even Lord Voldemort would attempt to take a werewolf in full transformation. He's a member of the Order - he can contact us if you need us but I believe he will be safe enough for now. And,' he added, anticipating her next question. 'Your friends are Order members also. They will be told to move quickly if need be, I will see to that.'

Krystal took a deep breath and nodded again. Albus waited for the inevitable anger that he could already sense radiating from her.

'Why didn't you tell me all of this?' she asked her voice cool as she finally turned from the window. 'If you or my parents had told me years ago, if you had told me how important it was I learn to accept my fears; to try and overcome this, he wouldn't be coming after me; he wouldn't think he could corrupt me.'

Her voice was rising and so was her temper, her eyes lightening as her anger grew. 'Why didn't they tell me?' she said angrily. 'Why didn't you warn me?'

'We were trying to protect you, Krystal,' he said, but she interrupted him.

'And now my family are at risk because of me; Remus is at risk because of me. You should have told me. You should have had more faith in me.'

'Yes,' he said, his own voice rising to be heard over hers. 'Yes, we should have. I convinced your parents to not say anything to you because I wanted you to grow up without fear; without this constantly over your head. I wanted you to have a normal childhood.'

He looked pained. 'I care very much about you, Krystal. And I didn't want to change who you were supposed to become.

'And what if I'm supposed to become a monster? What if your _caring_ turns me into one of them?' she said, referring to the Death Eaters.

'That is still your choice, Krystal,' he said softly. 'You do not have to let your shadows take you over; you can choose to fight them.'

'But you don't believe I can?' she spat. 'You won't let me join the Order because you don't think I can overcome them?'

'I hope you can, Krystal,' Albus said, his eyes filled with sorrow. 'I fear for you if you cannot.'

Her nostrils flared as she tried to control her anger. Turning from him, she grabbed the jacket she'd removed earlier, and strode towards the door. She halted abruptly though, and turned back to him, moving swiftly to stand in front of him.

'You will not tell Remus about this,' she demanded. When he hesitated, she raised her finger and pointed at him. 'I mean it. Do not tell him.'

Her eyes widened when she saw him rise into the air and move towards the wall. She quickly lowered her hand, and he dropped to the ground, staring at her.

'Promise me?' she said, a plea now in her eyes. 'I don't want him to know that I can't be trusted.'

He nodded. 'I promise,' he said.

She nodded too, then began to turn, hesitating briefly again. 'Who saw me?' she asked, looking at him with a frown.

'He did not mean to reveal you,' Albus said hastily. 'It was not deliberate.'

'Who was it?' she repeated.

'Peter Pettigrew,' he answered, seeing her surprise.

'So, Peter told you that he told other people about it, and that Voldemort knew?' she asked, confused as to how Peter would have known about this.

'No,' he said, suddenly looking reluctant. 'When I questioned him about it, he admitted he asked someone about how you could have done that, but it wasn't he who told me Voldemort's plans. He doesn't have access to the Dark Lord.'

'Who told you then?' she asked, suddenly a little hopeful. 'Maybe they were trying to trick you; to get to you…'

'No,' he said, his tone certain now. 'My informant has no cause to lie, and every reason not to have told me. He faces death if Lord Voldemort ever discovers he came to me.

'He is a Death Eater?' she said, incredulously. 'You believe a Death Eater?'

'I believe that he is telling the truth,' Albus said. 'I cannot tell you who it is, Krystal. It would mean certain death if he is found out, and I will not have his life on my conscience.'

She let out a little laugh. 'You trust him, but couldn't trust me?' She shook her head. 'Thanks, Albus,' she said sarcastically. 'Thanks a lot.'

Krystal walked to the door and opened it, slamming it hard behind her.


	22. Chapter 21

**Bit longer than the last. Angsty so get ready.**

**I hope the plot's not too holey - it's been rewritten a thousand times. ****Please review and let me know what you think.**

**WARNING: Um, death, violence, tiny mention of sex (sorry)**

Chapter Twenty one

Krystal didn't tell Remus until they got home that she hadn't joined the Order of the Phoenix, telling him Albus had asked her to wait.

'But why?' he asked, frowning.

'He thinks it's best. He really wants me to concentrate on the DADA class curriculum; he said that's more important at the moment.'

Remus obviously didn't understand, but she couldn't stand for him to know the truth: that Dumbledore didn't trust her to join.

Remus buried himself in work that afternoon, not wanting to get behind while he recovered from his transformation this month. Krystal sat on their bed, trying to draw up an outline for Fifth Year DADA requirements, but found her mind wandering.

Albus didn't know when Lord Voldemort may approach her, or how he would do so. But he felt certain that if she refused him, the people closest to her may be in danger. He had told her he would contact her parents and move them to a safe house known only to Order members. He had promised her he would keep them safe. She frowned. Albus felt that Remus was in no immediate danger, the full moon was approaching and no one in their right mind would approach a werewolf; and the others were in the Order, and would be told to protect themselves if need be. Her parents were in the most danger for now.

She looked out into the dark; no stars out tonight. Her eyes closed, and she felt the panic she'd been suppressing begin to build. She shook her head and fought it, realising as she did that this was exactly why Albus refused her today. Her inability to submit to pain, her need to push it away rather than feel it, and find the strength to overcome.

Taking a deep breath, she recalled what Albus had told her previously: that she was capable of great things, and terrible things; to not allow herself to give in to the shadows. Today as she'd learnt about what she was, she'd felt the darkness stirring again, and knew that Albus was right. She wasn't ready; she couldn't be trusted.

Sometime later she fell asleep, tossing and turning until Remus woke her.

'Krys,' he whispered, stroking her hair. 'Honey, are you alright?'

She blinked, becoming aware again of her surroundings. She nodded, and he lay down facing her. His hand brushed the sweaty hair away from her neck.

'Were you having a nightmare?' he asked, taking in her pale face and damp hair and clothes.

'Don't remember,' she said, not wanting to tell him she'd been seeing him die in her dreams; seeing her parents die.

He reached for her, and kissed her gently.

'You know I adore you, don't you?' she said as they broke apart, needing him to know she loved him.

He smiled that beautiful smile that she'd fallen for on the train in Fourth Year.

'Yes,' he said, kissing her again. 'Maybe almost as much as I adore you.'

Their kiss deepened and their clothes were soon scattered all over the floor. There was no frenzy or explosive passion in their lovemaking, but tenderness and softness, and as they came together, they whispered 'I love you'.

Krystal apparated to her parent's house the next day and found them gone. She hadn't had a chance to see them: Albus had acted quickly. She apparated to Lily and James' house and spent an hour visiting with Lily, hugging her when she left, asking her to pass on her love to James and Sirius.

She and Remus spent the last few hours together before he had to leave just curled up on their bed reading, talking, kissing. On one hand, she wanted him to go, to be safe so she didn't have to worry about him; on the other, she didn't want to let him go, irrationally feeling like if she did, she wouldn't see him again. When the time came, she kissed him desperately, trying to fight the feeling that it was for the last time. She shook herself.

'I'm being ridiculous', she thought and gave him a big smile.

'Krys, are you alright?' he asked, aware of the funk she seemed to have fallen into over the last day. She nodded.

'Just full moon blues, I guess,' she said, kissing him again, softly this time. 'Be careful.' He smiled at her and held her to him. 'I'll be fine, Krys. I love you.'

'I love you too,' she said, watching him walk down the stairs.

'Remus!' she called suddenly. He turned and she smiled at him, tears in her eyes. 'Ask me when you get back.'

He looked puzzled for a moment, then a grin spread across his face as he realised what she meant. She wanted him to ask her to marry him again.

'Really?' he asked, swiftly moving back to her.

'Really,' she said with a smile. 'I love you, Remus. I 'm ready to say yes.'

Somehow, his grin got even broader, and he flung his arms around her, lifting her and spinning her around.

'I love you, Krys,' he yelled, then he kissed her hard, holding her face in his hands. He pulled away and looked at her, his eyes finding hers.

'I love you,' he said quietly this time, then kissed her again softly.

'You'd better go,' she whispered against his lips.

He nodded and walked down the stairs again, grinning back at her and waving as he apparated away.

Darkness fell and she sat on the old couch on the verandah, looking resentfully at the full moon, when she heard the pop of someone apparating. Until she heard the noise, she hadn't been aware that she was waiting for it. Looking over, she saw Severus walking up the stairs. He hadn't seen her sitting in the dark. He looked pale, his hair long still and greasier that she remembered. They hadn't seen each other for six months, but Krystal knew what he had become.

'So, it's you, is it?' she said quietly, startling him.

He spun around holding up his lit wand. She raised her hand and knocked him over with a spell, calling his wand at the same time so he was defenceless. She flipped his wand through her fingers, watching him get up, unable to stop the flood of cold that began to swamp her. It had begun.

Feeling strangely detached, she leant against the headrest of her chair as he approached.

'I'm not going to hurt you, Krystal,' he said, having enough decency left in him to look ashamed of what he'd become. 'I'm here to try and help you. I asked for this.'

She sighed, and held out his wand. He looked startled, and hesitated before taking it back. 'He sent you? Voldemort?' she asked, knowing the answer.

Severus nodded, sitting next to her on the couch. 'He knows the family you come from. He knows that you may be the most powerful witch in generations, descended from one of the most powerful families in wizarding history. He knows about your powers; he believes you will be invaluable to him if he can convince you to cross over.'

She looked at her old friend. 'How did you become this, Sev?' she murmured, looking at his dark eyes and catching a glimpse of the sadness there. 'Did you really feel so powerless that you would turn to him?'

His jaw clenched and he stood up. 'I made a promise to you, Krystal. I'm trying to honour my word.' He turned away, biting his lip.

Krystal watched him, interrupting him as he began to speak. 'It was you who told Albus about this, wasn't it?'

He looked at her with a pained expression. 'I…I don't know what you are talking about,' he said, looking a little fearful. He quickly cleared his throat and continued what he had been going to say.

'I'm here to ask you to come over to his side; to fight alongside him. If you do not agree to join him, he will go after those who mean the most to you. Krystal, it's not just that he wants your power on his side. He's been studying you. He knows you are close to Dumbledore, and he doesn't want to see your powers combine. He fears Dumbledore, but I think in a way, he fears you even more. He spent years watching Dumbledore, he knows his flaws: his strengths; his weakness. You are unpredictable; an unknown quantity.'

'I won't come over, Sev,' she said quietly.

He looked at her, pain in his face. 'Then he will hunt you and those who you love until you do….or until you are dead,' he told her.

'Let him try!' she yelled suddenly, standing abruptly as anger broke through her lethargy. 'Let him try. I will kill to protect the people I love. You tell him that. You go back to your master and tell him to leave my family alone. You tell him that if he wants me, he can come and get me.'

She drew back her hand and bought it sharply down, sending him flying off the veranda, hitting the ground hard.

He stood quickly and disappeared and she felt a twinge of panic. She ran out into the dark and spun as he had, appearing again in front of the gates of Hogwarts. Running now, she heard the chatter of children and pushed open the doors of the Dining Hall, marching up the aisle to the astonishment of the students. Some called greetings out to her, but she only had eyes for Albus.

'Where are they?' she asked as she reached the staff table. He stood, and the room fell silent.

'Krystal, they are safe,' he said, his eyes searching hers.

'I need to see them. I need to know they are alright,' she insisted.

'Only the Order…..' he began, but she flicked her hand in frustration, sending the plates and food flying off the staff table, some of the students now gasping in fear, the staff standing. She disarmed him and the staff along the table with one swipe of her hand, sending their wands clattering to the ground in front of her. Except for Albus', which she caught.

'Where are they?' she yelled, pointing his own wand at him now. He saw the panic in her face, the flash of silver in her eyes and suddenly understood.

'Becoming this won't stop him,' Albus said urgently. 'You can't save them like this, but you can still save yourself. This isn't who you are.'

'Where are they?,' she said, her voice hard and cold now.

He hesitated, and she lowered her arm, flipping both of her hands out to the side, hearing the crash as the staff tables flew up into the air and hit the walls and the screams of the students echoed around the hall. She sensed rather than saw a couple of older students raise their wands and shoot Stunning spells at her, and before she even thought about it, her mind cast a shield to protect her. Albus frowned, realising that the anger and shock had opened her mind, and she was unconsciously using the power she'd always had.

'I'm only going to ask one more time,' she warned him, pointing the wand at him again. 'You may not have wanted me to know, but now I do. I know exactly what I'm capable of, and I won't hesitate to do what I have to in order to get what I want.'

He flipped his hand and his wand began to move of it's own violation, writing in fire in the air. It was an address. Krystal memorised it, than let his wand drop to the ground.

As she turned, she heard him say, 'Ask for help, Krystal, and it will come.'

She shook her head and ran from the room, hearing the crying and whispering of the terrified students.

Once outside the grounds, she thought of the address he'd given her and apparated, appearing in front of a house covered in snow. She looked around. It was quiet. She knew the house was protected by enchantments, but she needed to check. She cast a spell to reveal human presence; there was no one around. Krystal quickly moved to the front door and knocked. There was no answer and she tried to turn the knob, feeling panic when it spun easily. Cautiously, she pushed open the door and looked around, her heart freezing as she saw the destruction within. They had found them. There was a traitor in the Order. She was too late.

Not even sure how she did it, she apparated back to her house, collapsing on the veranda. She didn't know what to do, or who to trust. Someone had betrayed her parents. Someone she should have been able to trust. Laying numb for what felt like days, but what was really only just over an hour, she didn't hear him arrive, but didn't jump when Severus appeared again, his face set.

'Come with me now, Krystal,' he said, his voice low. She stared at him with blank eyes, not comprehending his words.

'Now!' he yelled. He strode forward and grabbed her arms, pulling her to her feet and, spinning on the spot, appearing in front of her old house.

It looked just as quiet as the safe house had, but the lights were blazing in what should have been an empty house, and the front door stood wide open. Her skin prickling now, the numbness fading, Krystal stumbled, as Severus' hands on her shoulders forced her forward. As they entered the living room, she lost all feeling in her legs and she fell to the ground, not hearing Sev whisper, 'I'm sorry, Krystal.'

Later, she thought she might have screamed but she couldn't be sure. She could only remember the blood; bright red blood, more than a body could surely hold. As she gazed down at the bodies that were almost unrecognisable as human, let alone as the two people she loved the most, Krystal felt her mind freeze, refusing to allow the images to remain, knowing it would send her insane.

The shadows that had been stirring for the last day were taking over, and she felt protected, stronger. Beating away that last doubt, that last voice that begged her to see reason; she allowed the murky, cold abyss within to take her, losing herself in the dark. Krystal felt the cold sweep through her and got to her feet, wiping her parent's blood off her hands and onto her jeans. Turning, she looked at Severus, who saw nothing of the girl he knew in her face. This was a stranger. A cold, hard stranger who was capable of anything.

He spoke. 'He won't stop, Krystal. He wants you; and he doesn't care how he does it.' She heard his hard swallow. 'They know where Lupin is.'

His words broke through the darkness and she looked at him, the hardness in her eyes flickering a little. 'What?' she said, her voice unrecognisable as hers.

'They found out where he transforms. They're waiting for him right now. As soon as the sun comes up, they will take him, and they will kill him, Krystal. He's a half breed; they'll tear him apart.'

Severus' words had forced themselves through her defences and she could only see helplessness ahead. Shudders shook her, and she felt as though she was no longer inhabiting her body. She couldn't lose him, not again. For long moments, her despairing mind frantically searched for a way out of this, and, looking down at the bodies at their feet, found a solution.

'Kill me, Sev,' she whispered, looking at his stunned face. 'If I'm dead, he'll stop.'

Severus shook his head, his face pained and said, 'I can't.'

'Yes, you can,' she said, her voice desperate, as she reached out to him, clutching his shirt.

'You've done it before, haven't you? Please. I can't do it - my magic won't turn against itself, and….I'm not strong enough to do it myself.'

'I can't, Krystal,' he insisted. 'Even if I wanted to, I owe you a life debt - you saved my life. I can't take yours.'

She vaguely remembered reading something like this in one of her textbooks, and she could see he was telling her the truth. Krystal shook her head, moving her hands up to yank hard at her hair. She could feel her grasp on reality slipping, the shadows calling her again. This time, she didn't try to fight it, slipping back inside their protection and felt her pain disappearing, leaving only the cold darkness, and a strange detached calm.

Looking down at the blood still staining her hands, it was suddenly clear what she had to do.

'Tell me who did this,' she demanded, looking up at him.

He was startled to see her silver eyes and took a step back. He didn't answer her. Her eyes narrowed and he felt a cold, sharp sensation in his brain. Unable to stop himself, he cried out as he clutched his head.

'Bellatrix - Sirius' cousin?' she asked, putting back up her mind block after getting the information she needed. 'Antolli and Crank.'

Severus looked at her, realising she had invaded his mind, effortlessly broken through the defences that even Voldemort couldn't crack. She took a step forward, her eyes glittered, and for the first time, he understood why the Dark Lord so badly wanted her on his side.

'You will tell me exactly what they did to them, Severus. Now,' she demanded quietly. He didn't hesitate this time, and saw her eyes grow colder as he spoke. He watched her as she stood still, looking at the blood sprayed up the walls for a long time.

Severus broke the silence, unable to stay quiet any longer.

'Krystal, you've got to disappear. It's the only way to stop this. He'll go after Lily next.' His voice was strained.

'Will he stop? If I disappear? Will he leave them alone?' She knew the answer. She didn't have to even look at his pained face.

'There's no other choice, Krystal. I'll help you, I'll protect you; protect them.'

'They won't need your protection, Severus. And I don't want it,' she said, in a stony voice. 'But I will need your help. I need you to get me to those Death Eaters that did this.' She stared at the blood staining the walls.

'You'll never get close to them - not unless……'

'Unless I join him.' she said, tonelessly, finishing his sentence. 'I know.' She turned to look at him.

'Contact him,' she said calmly. 'Tell him if he calls the Death Eaters off, I'll join them. I'll join the Dark Lord.'

Severus stared at her. 'Do you have any idea what he'll make you do if you join him? He'll make you kill, torture…'

Krystal bought her hand up, halting his words. 'I intend only to be his servant long enough to kill those Death Eaters responsible for this, and to make sure he has no reason to hunt Remus anymore,' she told him, her voice cold. 'Your friends can kill me afterwards, I don't care.'

Severus shook his head. 'Krystal…'

'Severus, I won't change my mind. I can't disappear, and I will not let him kill anyone else because of me. I know what I will have to do to prove myself - torture and kill some poor creature weaker than myself and pretend to be enjoying it - isn't that a Death Eaters' favourite pastime?' She glared at him through chilly eyes. 'I'll do it, I'll do anything. Just call them off Remus now.'

Severus was shaking a little as he felt the power radiating from her. 'Only he can call them off,' he said.

Her eyes were hard, her voice dead when she looked at him and said, 'Then take me to him.'

Severus nodded and held out his arm, apparating them away.

They appeared in front of a dilapidated house, that looked as if one good gust of wind would knock it over. Severus moved forward, holding Krystal's arm and raising his own. Krystal saw the image of the broken down old house fade, and a large stone building grew as if out of the ground. Severus walked quickly to the door and banged the knocker.

A dark haired woman opened the door, and her face broke into a hideous smile.

'You gave in quicker than I thought you would,' she said, glaring at Krystal. 'You were sorted into the wrong house, Kryssie. You should have been a Slytherin. We know all about looking after our own best interests'

'Let us in, Bellatrix,' Severus demanded, moving forward, stunned as he saw Bella fly backwards and slam into the wall behind her.

Krystal moved forward and her eyes blazed. She held her arm out in front of her and pinned Bellatrix to the wall, slowly clenching her fist, seeing the woman's hands began to scrabble at her throat. Krystal felt the corner of her mouth lifting in a smile as she watched Bellatrix slowly choking to death.

'Stop,' came a high, cold voice, and Krystal felt a pulse as a powerful spell rebounded off the shield her mind automatically cast. She was sickened to see the pale, grotesque face of the Dark Lord coming towards her, his face twisted in surprise.

'So it is true,' he said softly, staring at her, then turning to look at Bellatrix, who was still choking. 'Let her down.'

Krystal lowered her arm and the woman fell to the ground, holding her throat.

'Am I to assume you've made your decision?' The Dark Lord said.

Krystal nodded. 'Why else would Severus bring me here?' she said, her head held high.

Lord Voldemort grimaced, or maybe it was a smile. 'You've made the right decision, Krystal O'Connor,' he hissed.

'Call off the Death Eater's on Lupin,' she ordered, not flinching under his red glare.

'I thought you wanted to join us?' screeched Bellatrix, her voice hoarse. 'What do you care about the death of a half breed?'

'I do wish to join you, but not because I despise half breeds, Bellatrix, or because I am happy to pick on easy prey - the weak and the infirm. I am not such a coward,' she spat, looking at the woman in disgust.

Lord Voldemort waved them into a dank living room, and they faced each other in front of a fire place.

'Why do you wish to join me?' the Dark Lord asked. 'if it isn't for the purification of our world.'

'Because I want to use my power,' said Krystal, her voice intense, as her eyes glowed and her breath quickened. 'Dumbledore held me back; he would never let me use my magic and now I know why. He was frightened of me. I have power he doesn't, and he was scared.'

She moved to stand closer to the fire, staring into it. She knew he'd been watching her. He knew about her and Remus; he'd never believe she joined him out of a desire to kill half breeds, but he could understand the lust for power; the need to prove what she was capable of. And he would welcome anyone who he believed Dumbledore feared.

'I never knew what I was capable of; what I could do.' She spun around to look at him, moving closer until she was just inches away. 'I've seen what you can do. I've seen the opportunities you can offer me to show what I can really do. To show that I am better than Dumbledore.'

Krystal could feel him probing her mind, and she smiled. 'You can't get in unless I allow it,' she said smugly, seeing the slitted red eyes widen a little.

'I won't be treated as one of your minions,' she warned. 'And I won't fight those who are weak - I won't waste my time.'

She smiled at him and touched his face with her finger, seeing his nostrils flare at her daring. But she knew he wouldn't kill her; punish her. He wasn't sure yet if she was also stronger than him.

'Lupin is weak. You are wasting your time. Let him go, and we can concentrate on the real enemy. I want to help you bring down the Order.'

Her eyes glittered and a smile played on her lips as she whispered, 'I want to help you bring down Dumbledore.'

He smiled, an awful sight, and reached out to embrace her.

'Welcome, Krystal O'Connor. You are the weapon I've been searching for.'

The Dark Lord called off his Death Eaters with only an hour to go until the sun came up. Krystal had been embraced by the Dark Lord, and was sitting at his side, being introduced to his some of his servants, including Lucius Malfoy, and Dolohov, who had attacked Krystal at school. Severus sat next to Krystal, watching her closely. He could hardly believe that the beautiful, energetic girl he'd known just months earlier was this same hard, cold woman.

'If only it was this easy,' Severus thought, nervously waiting for the Dark Lord to tell Krystal what she would have to do to prove herself. Krystal seemed unflappable though, calmly greeting even the men who killed her parents, not allowing any acknowledgement to flicker across her face.

Once all his servants were present, the Dark Lord stood.

'We have welcomed Krystal to our fold tonight. She will be a powerful allay in our fight to retain the purity of our blood.'

A cheer went up and Krystal smiled. The Dark Lord was watching her carefully. So was Bellatrix.

'May I speak, My Lord,' she called. All heads swung around to look at her.

'You may, Bella,' Lord Voldemort said, his eyes glinting dangerously, warning her she had limited rope.

'I wanted to make a suggestion, My Lord. As to how Krystal could….prove her loyalty to our cause,' she said, glaring at Krystal.

Voldemort looked curiously at the woman. 'Go ahead, Bella,' he said softly, turning his eyes to watch Krystal's face.

'I suggest that she prove she has no allegiance to the Order. There are some members, new members, who need to be shown what lays ahead on the path they have chosen.'

Krystal knew what Bellatrix was going to suggest, but kept her mask up, not allowing herself to think about what she was going to be asked to do.

'Krystal could show them all what she is capable of, what we are capable of, now that she has joined us.' Bellatrix's tone was ingratiating, but Krystal could see the unadulterated hatred flash in her eyes.

'Spit it out, Bella,' said Krystal, staring straight into the other woman's eyes. 'What exactly are you suggesting?'

Bellatrix's eyes glittered and she smiled. 'The new Order members are old school friends of yours - what were they called, Snape?' she said, turning her eyes to a pale Snape, who didn't flinch.

'The Marauders,' he answered.

'That's right,' cooed Bellatrix. 'Actually, I believe you were fucking one of them, weren't you? The werewolf, wasn't it?' Her tone had changed and she was taunting Krystal now.

To Snape's surprise, Krystal smiled. 'We all have….physical needs, Bella,' she answered coolly then corrected herself. 'Well, those of us who don't have ice running through our veins.'

A few Death Eaters laughed softly. Bellatrix wasn't popular.

'As I said before, I'm here for the opportunities I have been offered, not because I despise half breeds. Lupin, perhaps due to his affliction, was a voracious lover. He satisfied my baser needs for a while. Now,' she said, her eyes turning to Lord Voldemort, who was watching her intently. 'I want more.'

Bellatrix continued with her idea, staring daggers at Krystal. 'Kill the Marauders. And Potter's girlfriend, Lily Evans. They are members of the Order, all a possible threat. Torture them, kill them.'

All eyes were on Krystal, and she didn't let her mask slip.

'Alright,' she agreed straight away, knowing any hesitation would be seized upon by the woman. She stood. 'I thought you would set me a challenge, Bella. But if this…little token…is what it takes to prove my loyalty…'

'Shall I go now?' she asked the Dark Lord. 'I would like to get a little sleep first, but if you think it should be done immediately…..'

'No,' replied the Dark Lord. 'Do it tonight. I want you fully rested and at your best.' He looked around at the Death Eaters. 'Who would you like to go with you?'

She looked a little startled, and Lord Voldemort smiled. 'You wish to take on all five of your former friends yourself?' he asked, seemingly amused. Krystal opened her mouth, but Severus stood.

'I would like to assist, if that would suit you, My Lord,' he said, looking straight at the mangled man. 'It would be my pleasure to help with this particular task.'

Lord Voldemort gazed at him thoughtfully, his long, thin finger moving over his mouth. 'Yes. This would be a treat for you, wouldn't it, Severus?' he said, before looking away. 'Krystal, Severus. Walk with me.'

He waved at them and she followed him out to the hall. 'Your parents? You have seen them,' he asked, his red eyes boring into her silver ones.

Krystal nodded, and took a breath. 'A necessary loss, I understand. To show me what you are capable of, what you can offer me. Although,' she said, allowing just a little emotion through her walls. 'They were good parents. I am sorry it came to that.'

Lord Voldemort nodded, seemingly satisfied with her response. 'Severus will take you to his house for the day. Rest. You have a big night ahead of you. Severus,' he called, beckoning the lurking man forward. 'I will want the memories. Just a precaution.' Severus nodded, and the Dark Lord leaned forward, taking Krystal's face in his hands, sending a chill through her.

'Prove yourself, Krystal O'Connor,' he whispered, looking into her eyes. 'I would regret having to kill you.'

'I can't do it, Sev! I can't! God, I should have run when I had the chance,' Krystal cried a few minutes later, holding her head in her shaking hands.

Severus quickly cast a Calming Spell on her and she raised her head. They were at his house, having disapparated from the stone house.

'You don't have a choice now,' he said, sitting next to her on his couch. 'If you don't do this, he will kill them, me and you. And he'll make it worse than your parents suffered, Krystal, because you tried to fool him.' He shook his head. 'You don't have a choice.'

She looked at him. 'I can't Sev. You're asking me to torture…. to kill the people I love….'

Severus interrupted. 'We won't be killing anyone. Listen to me, Krystal. We have to think about this. We have to have a plan.'

They spent the day making plans, trying to figure out a way to get through this.

That evening, they met again at the stone house. Krystal was in control again, after liberal shots of Firewhiskey to help her block out what she was about to do to her friends. When she walked into the house, she saw the three of them, the ones who'd murdered her parents, and it took everything she had to not kill them where they stood.

'Krystal, Severus,' came the hiss of the Dark Lord. 'You are ready?'

They nodded, Severus saying,' My Lord, we have a slight problem. They have all been moved to an Order safe house. We don't have….'

Before he finished, Voldemort handed him a handwritten note. 'Never doubt my resourcefulness, Severus,' he said, coldly. 'This is the address of the safe house they are staying in.'

Krystal felt a little anger crack through her walls. Who was the spy in the Order?

Krystal and Severus were preparing to leave, when Bellatrix approached them. 'Do you really think you can do this?' she taunted in a low voice. 'Hurt your friends, torture your lover? Watch them die at your hand?'

She moved closer and spoke into Krystal's face. 'I look forward to your failure, Kryssie,' she spat. 'I can't wait to peel the skin from your bones. Oh, and of course, destroying your werewolf boyfriend right in front of you.'

Krystal's eyes clouded over, fury making her world darker. 'And I look forward to sharing your disloyalty and doubt with the Dark Lord when I am finished. Who do you think he'll side with Bella? His best chance to bring down Dumbledore, or a semi talented has been with bad personal hygiene?'

Bellatrix's nostrils flared and she raised her hand to strike Krystal, but the younger woman was quicker, throwing Bella up against the wall.

'He won't let you kill me,' she choked out, as Krystal approached.

'Oh, I'm not going to kill you, Bella,' she said, her voice soft but dangerous.

She drew back her fist and punched her in the face. The woman's nose exploded, and blood flew everywhere before the Death Eater fell to the ground with a scream.

'Much more satisfying than magic,' Krystal said, glaring down at her with a nasty smile on her blood splattered face, before spinning on her heel and walking out of the house.


	23. Chapter 22

**Thanks for review MoonNightLover - quick off the mark! No, she wasn't thinking - and it's a mistake that's going to hurt her for a long time as you'll see. Keep reading! Cheers.**

**Krystal braces herself to complete the task set for her - but how the hell is she going to kill Bellatrix and the others and get away with it. Thanks Misundersnape for letting me borrow an idea from your story "Second Chances."**

**BTW (SORRY) Just noticed my double spaces aren't working. Sorry its been all meshed together - I tend to jump around and confuse things.**

Chapter Twenty two

Severus and Krystal apparated around the corner of the block, and moved towards the safe house. It was dark now, and they were camouflaged under their cloaks. They both stood outside, under the cover of a tree and thought about the address they had been given. A house squeezed out from between two others, and Severus looked at Krystal. She was back in control after her encounter with Bellatrix, and Severus could see the flash of silver in her eyes.

She made a move towards the house, but he grabbed her arm. 'Remember the plan,' he whispered.

'Don't touch me,' she said, her voice hard and cold as she glared at him.

She yanked her arm out of his grasp and walked up the path to the front door of the house. He followed, and was behind her when he pointed his wand at the door, silently casting an unlocking spell.

They entered the house quietly, hearing voices in the living room ahead of them. Krystal stopped him, listening. She heard Sirius, Lily and James, but not Remus. She crept forward until she could see the reflections of those in the living room in a mirror in the hall. Seeing Lily and James curled up on the couch near the entry, she looked over to the other side of the room and saw Sirius, crouched in front of a chair, talking to someone. The person in the seat was leaning forward, his head in his hands. It was Remus, shaking his head at whatever Sirius was saying to him. She could tell from his gestures he was upset. The cold melted a little as a jolt of pain shot through her, showing on her face. Remus was the only person that could break down her walls. She needed her shields to do this. She didn't have a hope if he got through to her. God, could she really do this?

'Remember why you're doing this,' Severus hissed into her ear, seeing her uncertainty. 'What they did to your parents will be nothing if you fail here. He'll kill them all.'

Krystal closed her eyes and felt the cold returning as images of her parents' blood sprayed up the walls of their home flashed behind her eyelids. She was going to kill Bellatrix, but she needed to do this first. She needed to make sure there was no reason for Voldemort to continue to hunt the only loved ones she had left.

Severus checked the house for Peter using a spell, but there were only four humans in the house. He frowned but nodded, seeing the silver in her eyes again as she stepped out into the hall, and walked towards the living room.

'Krys!' Sirius exclaimed, rising to his feet, and Remus raised his head, standing quickly, turning towards the hall.

'Krys, what the hell's going on?' he said, coming towards her, but he stopped when she raised her hands and cast a petrification spell, sending him crashing to the ground. She winced but knew it had to be done - she couldn't let him get under her walls. Lily and James jumped up, reaching for their wands, but Snape, having followed the hall to come out at the other end of the room, disarmed them, catching their wands.

They spun around, James almost growling when he saw Severus. Sirius released Remus from the spell and raised his wand, pointing it at Snape before Krystal slapped her hand across her body, sending her old friend flying against the wall, hitting it hard, as his wand flew towards her.

'Move!' said Severus, pointing his wand at James and Lily, herding them across the room to stand with Sirius and Remus.

'Krystal,' cried Lily, looking at her friend with tear filled eyes. 'What's going on? What have you done?'

Severus stepped up next to Krystal, unable to look at Lily. Krystal saw Remus stand up and look at her. He saw her eyes, cold and dead looking, and he knew that this wasn't the girl he loved.

'Come back, Krys,' he said, his voice soft. 'Please.'

He thought he saw a flash of uncertainty, before a spell hit him and sent him flying back across the room with a yelp of pain, his blood splattering across the room. Lily screamed, and James and Sirius yelled obscenities at Severus, moving towards him until he raised his wand at them.

'Severus,' Krystal cried, spinning around to face the man. Remus was stirring, but did not rise. His chest was bleeding from the hex Severus had hit him with.

'Show time, Krystal,' he said, looking over at her, as he held his wand on James and Lily. His voice lowered as he said, 'Hurt them or they die, Krystal. Make it look good.'

'Give them back their wands,' Krystal demanded suddenly, looking at Severus. He stared at her in disbelief, but she insisted.

'I won't fight them without wands,' she hissed at him. 'I am many things, Severus, but I am not a coward. '

'Why are you doing this, Krys?' Lily said, tears streaming down her cheeks.

'Not all choices are simple, Lily, she snapped, snatching their wands off a reluctant Severus as James spoke.

'This isn't who you are…' he began, but Krystal interrupted.

'This is exactly who I am, James. I just didn't realise it until now.'

She threw the wands down on the floor in front of them.

'Pick them up,' she demanded loudly. 'I won't kill an unarmed person.'

'We won't fight you, Krys,' said Sirius, looking at her intensely. 'I won't fight you.'

She closed her eyes for a second, imagining what they would look like if Bellatrix got to them. Opening her eyes, she felt a surge of hatred towards the woman, and channelled it into what she was about to do.

'Then I'll kill you first, Sirius,' she retorted, sending a spell at him, hitting him in the chest.

She heard a crack and knew his rib had broken. He cried out, and fell against the wall again.

James and Lily dove for their wands and shot curses at them. Krystal and Severus sent up shields and blocked them. Lights flashed as spells and hexes were thrown around the room, none making contact until Krystal spun around and got a Cruciatus Curse through James' defence. She watched him fall to the ground, screaming in agony. Severus battled Lily, blocking her curses, but not sending any back. Sirius was on his feet now, and, with one arm across his ribs, he grabbed his wand, shooting a stream of hexes at Krystal. They bounced off her shield and from behind it's protection, she saw Remus getting to his feet.

While she was distracted, James sent a hex at her from the ground, and she felt it skim past her head. She turned and shot another curse at him, but he rolled and it hit the ground, searing the carpet. Spinning back, she dropped her shield and threw herself out of the way, landing on the carpet and sending a hex at Sirius, this time hearing his wand arm crack, seeing him drop his wand and fall to the ground with a strangled scream.

As she stood, Remus yelled her name, and she turned to him, seeing his wand arm hanging at his side.

'I won't hurt you, Krys,' he said.

'I will!' yelled James, hitting Krystal in the shoulder with a hex that spun her around and made her arm feel as though it were on fire.

She sent another Crutiatis back at him, and it hit, making him scream again. Severus had sent Lily flying with a deflected curse, and turned to Remus, who had no trouble fighting the dark man, knocking Severus over after a short battle, just as Krystal saw James eye's flutter shut against the agony surging through him.

She spun around, raising her hands, and Remus pointed his wand at her. Both breathing heavily, they stared at each other.

'Do it, Krystal,' demanded Severus from the ground, pointing his wand at Sirius, who was struggling to his feet, sending him back to the ground with a hex.

Krystal wavered, seeing the pain in Remus' face. Her hands shook, and she saw his wand trembling, as he shook his head.

'No,' his whispered word was barely audible. 'I won't hurt you, Krys. I won't fight you.' He lowered his wand and stared at her, tears shimmering in his eyes.

Krystal blinked rapidly, her face twitching as the shadows fought for control.

'You know what's at stake, Krystal. Do it!' Severus yelled, standing up and wiping blood off his face.

Anger rose in her and when he shouted again, 'Do it! Now!', a primal scream of fear, frustration and loss tore from her lips and two streams of purple light soared towards Remus, hitting him in the face and chest and sending him, unconscious to the ground.

Lily and Sirius were struggling to their feet, and James was stirring. Krystal, her mind firmly in the grasp of darkness now, spun around, and, without hesitation, sent a hex at Lily, sending her into the air with a terrible, agonised scream that stopped abruptly when her head and shoulders slammed into the wall. She fell heavily to the floor, and lay still, as Krystal turned to Sirius, swiping her hands down and hearing him hit the ground hard, more cracks ringing sharply through the room as the curses did their job. Finally, she walked over to James, who was stirring, and cast the Cruciatus curse again, holding it on him as his body bucked until he passed out.

She stood looking down at them, her breathing tortured and then looked to Severus.

'Enough?' she said, her voice shaking as the impact of what she'd just done began to hit her.

He nodded, saying, 'I'll alter our memories before we return. We should go now before they wake up.'

Krystal nodded, but paused in the doorway. She turned back and walked back over to Remus, still unconscious on the ground. Reaching around her neck with trembling hands, she unfastened the necklace he'd given her; that she always wore. Kissing it, she felt tears well up in her eyes before she slid it into his pocket.

'Goodbye, Remus,' she said, her hand shaking as she touched his bloodied face, then stood and walked out of the house.

The small gesture seemed to have loosened the hold the shadows had on her, and shaking uncontrollably now, she staggered a little walking down the path. She stopped, nausea overwhelming her, and she vomited into the garden, retching until she had nothing left in her stomach.

Severus grabbed her arm, and apparated them away, appearing outside his home. Krystal again retched, and unable to stand unassisted, Severus picked her up and carried her into the house. He gave her a potion for shock, holding a bucket under her as she immediately threw it up. Casting a Calming spell helped, then he gave her a potion for nausea. When that stayed down, he gave her another for shock, and she became still. Her blue eyes were glazed and her breathing shallow, and Severus was, for a moment, frightened that she had been pushed beyond breaking point; that her mind had been lost.

It took a few minutes for the shock potion to work, but when it did, he saw the silver light return to her eyes. She sat up and silently took his wand and put it to her head, drawing out the memories of what she'd done, putting them into the vial he held out.

Taking them, he worked for an hour, altering both their memories so that they showed a screaming Krystal attacking her friends, then getting interrupted by several known members of the Order. It took all his knowledge to do it, but they were convincing memories. He was certain the Dark Lord would not check them thoroughly.

He returned her memories to her, and was startled when she asked him in a low voice, 'Will I remember what really happened?'

He nodded, saying,' The real memory will always be there. I can try and remove it….'

'No,' she said, her voice flat, her silver eyes dead. 'I want to remember.'

* * *

They returned to the stone house, and the Dark Lord took their memories. As Severus expected, he did not examine them too closely, accepting what he saw on the surface without looking deeper.

'You allowed them wands?' he asked mildly, turning to look at Krystal. She nodded.

The shadows were back in control now, and her face and voice were cold as she said, 'It is hardly a challenge to kill unarmed opponents, My Lord.'

He smiled at her, and gave her back the vial of memories. 'You have done well, little Gryffindor,' he said, stroking her face with a bony finger. 'It is a shame you were interrupted…'

'No, My Lord. It is better this way. Now, they know to fear you, to fear us. It is a good thing they survived. They can tell the others how fruitless it is to try and fight us,' she said softly, looking into his red eyes as they glowed with pride.

'You are truly a gift,' Voldemort said, and Krystal saw lust in his gaze. Whether it was for her, or her power, she didn't know, but didn't care to find out.

Krystal nearly gave herself away, though, when he said, 'Come. I will honour you now with the Mark, so there will be no doubt that you are mine.'

She saw Severus' eyes widen. Somehow, neither of them had thought of this. She felt a thrill of panic, but then a feeling of calm came over her, and suddenly she knew what to do. She lowered her mind block, and approached the Dark Lord, looking into his eyes; looking into his mind.

'My Lord,' she said softly. 'You do not expect me to take the Mark in such an inauspicious way, do you?' He stared at her silently, unknowingly letting her take over his mind. She saw him - the real him; all the horrors in his head, and it was all she could do to not scream.

'I am valuable to you, am I not? I deserve a higher honour,' she whispered, her face so very close to his repugnant one, her mind probing deep into his, planting these ideas as his. She didn't have a clue how she knew to do this, but saw it was working, his eyes flickering in confirmation.

'Please, My Lord,' she said softly, her hand reaching for his face, running her finger down his cheek as he had done to her. 'Do not treat me as one of your lowliest servants. Some of your Death Eaters still doubt my allegiance. Show them you believe in me; give me the Mark in front of all of them. Tomorrow night.'

Severus watched, scarcely breathing when he realised what Krystal was doing. She had taken over the mind of the most powerful Occlumens alive. And done it effortlessly, and without his knowledge. Shaking, Severus, for the first time, truly understood what Krystal could be capable of.

For a moment, there was silence, and Severus thought she had pushed her luck too far, but then he saw the Dark Lord smile and was stunned to hear him parrot Krystal's words back to her.

'No,' he said, his eyes on Krystal. 'You deserve a higher honour than to take the Mark in such inauspicious circumstances. Tomorrow night, I will summon my Death Eaters to me, and they will witness you taking my Mark, and then…,' His hand slid up her arm to her chin. 'Then they will all know that you are mine.'

Severus thought he was about to kiss her, and Krystal must have had the same thought. She grasped his hand, and quickly bought it to her mouth, putting her mind block up quickly as she tried hard to swallow back her revulsion. 'Thank you, My Lord. You will never have reason to doubt my loyalty, my devotion to you.'

She could see the hunger again in his eyes, and stepped back. 'My Lord, I ask that I be allowed to rest now,' she said, her head bowed. 'I am weary, and need my strength to do your will in the coming days.' Voldemort nodded.

'Snape….' Severus stepped forward. 'Krystal will stay with you until more permanent arrangements can be made.'

Severus nodded, and he and Krystal departed, apparating to his house.

'How did you do that?' he asked as soon as they were inside his house. Krystal looked at him as she sank into a chair. Her eyes had changed back to blue, and her face was pale.

'I have no idea,' she whispered, her voice shaky, as were her hands when she raised them to wipe over her cold, sweaty face.

Severus frowned. 'Are you alright?' he asked, sitting next to her, his hand on her shoulder.

'I just need to lie down for a while,' she said, and he stood up again.

Grabbing a cushion and a thin blanket, he helped her get more comfortable, surprised when she fell asleep straight away, tremors still intermittently shaking her. Putting a hand to her forehead, he frowned again. She was sweaty and clammy and when he put his hand lightly on her chest, he could feel how fast her heart was racing, and her breathing was shallow and fast.

'She's going into shock,' he realised, quickly rising and fetching a vial of potion. He tried to wake her, but couldn't, eventually lifting her head and pouring the potion down her throat. Dragging a chair closer, he watched her until the shaking stopped and her breathing evened out again. Then, relieved and exhausted, he fell asleep, hearing Lily screaming in his dreams.

* * *

Several hours later, Krystal was pacing the study as Severus tried to sleep on the couch. 'For God's sake, woman,' he said, exasperated. 'Will you sit down? We cannot do anything until tomorrow. I will send the owls in the morning to them, asking them to meet at Antolli's house.'

'What if something goes wrong?' she asked, as she continued to pace. 'What if they don't come?'

Severus sat up. 'When they get a message they believe to be from the Dark Lord, they will not ignore it,' he said. 'They will be there.' She nodded and sat down next to him.

'I will need you to do something for me when it is done,' she said, looking up at him.

'I can't kill you, Krystal,' he said, thinking she would ask him again. 'You're going to have to run the second it's done or they'll kill you…'

She laughed bitterly. 'I don't want you to kill me,' she said, her voice low and cold. 'But I don't want _them_ to kill me either. I want to live, Severus. I want to remember everything that I've done, and live for a very long time.'

He could hear the self loathing in her voice and instinctively knew that her determination to live was so that she could punish herself for her actions. Despair had fed the darkness, tightening it's hold on her.

'I want you to contact Dumbledore for me and tell him everything, tell him the truth.' She could see the shock on his face.

'He said he would help me if I asked, and he will honour his word, whether he wants to or not,' she said with certainty. 'I need him to help me get away; to disappear once they are dead. Promise me, Severus.'

Severus stared at her. 'Alright, but he may not believe me…' he began but she smiled.

'He will believe you. He did last time,' she said, seeing him frown. 'He won't let family down; he's an honourable man. You're both honourable men.' His mouth shook a little at her words.

Krystal stopped and he saw her eyes glistening with tears. 'Tell him he was wrong,' she said quietly. 'I did save them. But it's too late now to save myself. He'll understand.'

She blinked back the tears, suddenly frowning and appearing uneasy. 'I just can't shake this feeling that something will go wrong….' she said softly, her eyes clouding then she shook herself and stood.

'I am going to try and get some more rest. Wake me early?' He nodded and watched her walk heavily up the stairs.

He lay awake on the couch for an hour before standing and moving to his potions storage room. Her uncertainty, her fear that something would go wrong, had infected him, and he was searching for a 'Plan B'. He packed his potions pouch with several different vials, and also packed a bag for himself, in case he also had to disappear. So many things could go wrong... Finally, his mind slightly more at ease, he lay back on the couch, and slept fitfully until dawn broke.

Krystal was awake and ready when he knocked on the bedroom door. She was pale, and had black rings around her eyes, now returned to her usual blue.

'I have sent the owls,' he said, asking them to meet at Antolli's at 9.00am for instruction from the Dark Lord's envoy. That gives us an hour,' he said.

She nodded and refused the food he offered her. 'You should eat something,' he said, concerned. She had not eaten in a few days.

'I would just throw it up, Sev,' she said softly, staring out the grimy window.

As time crept closer, she became more agitated. Finally, it was time to leave. She took his arm, but stopped him from apparating. 'I want you to leave,' she said, firmly. 'I want you to take me there, then leave. This is too risky for you. What if he doesn't believe I Confunded you? He'll kill you.'

He frowned, but felt a feeling of gratitude. She was still trying to protect him. Annoyed he felt anything, he frowned.

'No,' he said, just as firmly. 'I owe you my life, Krystal, and it's time I started repaying my debt.' He spun as her mouth opened to argue, disapparating to Antolli's house.

* * *

They crept around the side, hearing voices within. 'One minute,' Severus said, seeing Krystal's nod. The wait felt interminable but at exactly nine o'clock, she held up her hands and blasted the front door open, hearing yells from inside. She and Severus moved quickly inside, as Antolli rushed out to meet them. Krystal didn't waste a second.

'Avada Kedavra!' she screamed, seeing his face freeze as the Killing Curse made contact. He fell to the ground, as Crank ran out, casting hex's at them. Krystal raised a shield as a hex just missed her, and Severus shot a Stunner at him, missing but causing him to become distracted for a moment. It was long enough: Krystal raising her hands and casting the Unforgivable Curse, hitting him in the chest. He also fell, landing on top of Antolli.

Krystal and Severus looked around frantically, creeping up the stairs and into the other rooms, looking for Bellatrix, the final piece needed for this to be finished.

'She's not here,' Severus said, looking around the living room.

They stared at each other, then Krystal sank to a seat. 'She knows,' she said, her head in her hands. 'She isn't coming. He'll kill us all, Sev.'

'No,' said Severus. 'She will be here, I'm sure.' He looked at Krystal. 'But she'll be on her guard. The door and walls are damaged. She will know something's wrong; she will not enter. They'll figure it out.'

He began to pace, thinking of their options. 'If we disappear, he will not stop until he finds us, this I know for certain. If you disappear leaving Bellatrix as a witness to this, he will suspect I've helped you. We've been together for two days; he will kill me, and the others, and hunt you for the rest of your days.'

'I wish you'd killed me,' she mumbled, shaking her head and starting to rock backwards and forwards. 'This is like a living hell.'

He stopped abruptly and looked at her. 'That's it,' he said softly, his eyes wide.

He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out his pouch of potions.

'If I kill you in front of Bellatrix, I am the only witness to what happened here, and I can tell the Dark Lord it was all you. That you were working with Dumbledore; with the Order. That I figured out what you were doing too late. That I tried to stop you but you'd already killed Antolli and Crank, and were waiting for Bellatrix to finish the job. That I had to kill you to stop you.'

As he spoke, he searched through his vials, until he found the one he was looking for. 'But you can't kill me,' Krystal said, standing. 'You said you couldn't.'

He shook his head. 'No, I can't kill you, Krystal,' he agreed. 'But there's dead, and then there's dead.'

He held up a potion. 'Draught of the Living Death,' he explained. 'Take it, now. When Bellatrix arrives, I will pretend to have cursed you. She will see you dead, will have heard me kill you. I'll come back later and give you the counter potion, then Dumbledore can get you away.'

Krystal looked at him. 'You think this will work?' she said, but they both heard a pop outside.

'It'll have to,' he said urgently. She paused for a moment then took the vial, swallowing the potion in a gulp.

He hexed her, slashing a wound across her stomach that made her moan in pain.

'Curse me now,' he demanded, and she did without hesitation, making him cry out. She sank to the ground, the potion taking effect quickly. As she fell, he could hear Bellatrix swear as she saw the demolished door.

Severus pointed his wand to the ground and yelled, 'Avada Kedavra!'

Green light flashed, and a burn mark appeared on the carpet. He quickly raised his wand, pointing at Krystal, just as Bellatrix ran through the living room door.

* * *

'This must what heaven is like.'

The thought came just before Krystal reluctantly began to regain consciousness several hours later. The painless, worry free world she'd been floating in disappeared, and she felt agony sweep through her body. She clutched her stomach, and her eyes opened as she groaned. Hands pulled at her, and she tried to push them away, hearing someone say her name urgently.

'Albus?' she whispered, feeling the hands pull her until she was sitting.

She saw her cousin' s worried face in front of her, Severus standing behind him.

'We must go. Now, he said, pulling her to her feet. Krystal moaned in pain, not just from the wound Severus gave her. Her entire body hurt.

'I'm sorry, Krystal,' said Severus, his face pale when he saw her pain. 'I couldn't stop her hurting you.'

'Its ok. Thank you, Sev,' Krystal said to him, realising she'd been tortured whilst Bellatrix thought she was dead.

Fully aware now, she held a hand over her still gaping wound as her cousin took her arm.

'I'll be in contact,' Albus said to Snape, who nodded.

Albus handed her an old shoe. 'It's a portkey, Krystal,' he explained, seeing her confusion. 'Hang on. One, two, three!'

They flew through the air, spinning for what felt like hours. Just when Krystal thought she might be sick, they slowed, and their feet slammed into the ground, Krystal's legs buckling a little.

'Where are we?' she asked, looking around at the dry earth, the trees and the burning sun that was making her eyes sting.

'Australia. Queensland to be more accurate,' he answered, leading her towards a wooden house.

Once inside, he sat her on a couch and checked her wound, healing it quickly. He muttered an incantation and the worst of her pain disappeared. Then he sat next to her. 'Tell me everything,' he demanded.

She did. She told him how Severus had approached her with the Dark Lord's threat; how she'd found her parent's safe house empty; that Severus had shown her their mutilated bodies. Now she stopped, closing her eyes and remembering that bright red blood on her hands. She wrung them together, feeling the cold as she fought the pain, not seeing the anger and shock on his face as he realised there was a traitor in the Order.

Continuing, she explained that they were waiting for Remus, that they were going to kill him; how she'd asked Severus to kill her, to stop this.

'They killed mum and dad,' she said, grief beginning to take form, pushing some of the darkness away. 'They were going to kill Remus. I couldn't let them, Albus,' she cried, tears filling her eyes.

She took deep breaths, searching for the shadows, telling them to take her; to protect her, but they were disappearing; the sorrow and heartache she felt thinking of Remus and her parents was driving them away.

She told him what she did, and how it had ended, holding back the sobs that were threatening to escape. 'You were right, Albus,' she said, pain bending her over, making her ache. 'I was weak, and I did terrible, terrible things.'

She felt his arms hold her then, as she cried for everything she had done, everything she had lost.

Hours later, she was sleeping, thanks to the potion Albus forced her to take, and he had left. Once she had cried herself out, her determination to 'die' had wavered; she had begged him to allow her to contact Remus.

'I need him to know why I did this; that I didn't want to hurt him. I love him, Albus. I can't stand him thinking that I don't,' she said desperately.

But he'd shaken his head and convinced her that it wasn't in Remus' best interests.

'Think about _him_, Krystal,' he said softly, the pain in her face hurting him. 'He'll be tormented if he knows you're alive and he can't be with you. And it appears there is a traitor in the Order. If I bring him to you, word will reach Lord Voldemort and he will suspect you are not dead. You will place your friends in danger again, Severus will be killed and you and Remus will be hunted for the rest of your lives.'

He saw the realisation that he was right in her eyes before they hardened, turning silver again as she protected her heart.

'Then I need you to do that one last thing for me,' she said firmly. 'And do it now. I want him to start to get on with his life as soon as possible.'

* * *

He sighed, preparing now to do the task she had asked of him. He walked up the stairs and knocked on the door, smiling gently at Sirius when he answered.

'I need to speak with you all,' he said, as he walked into the living room and sat down.

"Krystal is dead,' he said softly, hearing Lily's gasp of shock, and felt the wave of grief run through the room.

'I'm sorry,' he said, shaking his head. 'She was bewitched by Voldemort, seduced by his power. She did terrible things to you all, in order to prove herself. She was killed by Aurors as she participated in the torture of a half blood this morning.'

Albus hated lying to them, but he had promised Krystal that he would never tell them why she done this. She wanted them to believe that she betrayed them; that she was dead; to get on with their lives; to be safe.

'I don't believe you.' The voice was low and angry.

Albus turned to him, with a frown. 'Remus, I know this is hard to understand….'

'It wasn't her,' Remus said, standing and glaring at Albus. 'I saw her eyes: they were dead. She wasn't enjoying it; she hesitated - more than once. Snape was egging her on; he was holding something over her.'

He walked closer to Albus and the older man rose to meet him. 'Tell us what really happened. Tell me where she is,' he demanded, his blue eyes cold.

'She's dead, Remus,' Albus began, but he shook his head.

'She's not dead!' he yelled, shaking off Sirius who had put his hand on his arm. 'I want to see her body. If she's dead, I need to see her.'

'There is nothing left,' Albus said softly, seeing Sirius, behind Remus, close his eyes tightly and sink into a chair. 'I'm so sorry, Remus.'

Albus could see Krystal's other friends accept what he told them. Sirius had his head in his hands and his shoulders were shaking; and James was holding a sobbing Lily, tears running down his own face. Peter was watching Dumbledore and Remus with a guilty expression on his face. Albus gave the man a reassuring look, thinking he must be upset that he had given away Krystal's secret. But when he looked back at Remus, he saw a damaged man, his eyes tortured.

'I don't believe you,' he whispered, staring at him, his face pale.

'I know you loved her….' Albus said, but Remus interrupted him.

'Yes I did,' he said. 'And I thought that she loved me.' The pain in his face was too much for Albus to bear and he couldn't hold his tongue. He moved forward quickly and took hold of Remus' arms, speaking firmly to him.

'I don't care if you don't believe anything else I ever tell you, Remus, but believe this. Krystal loved you.'

* * *

It was dark when Remus walked through the door of the cottage Krystal's parents had given them. He sank down onto the bed they'd shared, staring at the floor blankly. Putting his hand in his pocket, he pulled out the necklace he'd found there after he regained consciousness last night. He let the chain run through his fingers, as he stroked the gold filigree heart charm.

'I can't believe it, Sirius,' he said, hoarsely, finally looking over at his friend who had insisted on coming home with him. 'She wouldn't have done this - not if she was herself. Something happened to her, something made her do this.'

Sirius sat next to him, putting an arm around his shoulders. 'I don't want to believe it either, Remus, but she did it. For whatever reason, she betrayed us.'

Remus shook his head in despair, struggling to find answers. 'Wouldn't I have known if she was capable of this? How could she hide it from me - how could she lie here and tell me she loved me, just hours before she….'

He stood up, unable to be near the bed where they had lain together so recently; where she'd asked him, 'You know I adore you, don't you?' just over twenty four hours ago. He remembered the feel of her warm body in his arms and closed his eyes against the tears that rose there.

'She told me I could ask her to marry me again,' he whispered. 'She told me she was ready to say yes. Why would she have said that if….?' He looked at Sirius, who's face was a mask of agony.

'Wouldn't I know if she were dead, Sirius? I'd feel it, wouldn't I?'

His voice cracked as he realised that, even if she wasn't dead, it was over. Really over. He'd never hold her again, never hear her whisper his name, never smell the scent of her hair. One way or another: Krystal was gone.

Tears streaked hot down his cheeks and he felt Sirius' arms around him as the wail of grief was ripped from his chest, the pain bringing him to his knees. He felt Sirius' tears and put his arms around him.

'She's gone, Pads,' he choked out, hearing his friend's moan of anguish. They sat on the floor of the bedroom and wept for the woman they had both loved.


	24. Chapter 23

**More reviews please! Getting lots of hits and people are reading to the end but my ego needs feeding, people. Time to pay the piper! This chappie for The Fleaks and MoonNightLover - thanks for sticking with this, guys!**

**This is eighteen years worth of angst jammed into one long chapter. Timeline loosely follows books as I am far too lazy to actually look anything up.**

**WARNING: Um, sex in a loo, mention of sex; hints of SELF HARM, and for R/T haters like myself, try to bear the references :) **

Chapter Twenty Three

**20 months later**

'So, where is he?' Remus demanded, looking at James. The dark haired man laughed and he and Remus hugged quickly.

'Sirius has got him. Lily and I have to fight to get a hold of him ourselves,' he said, and Remus grinned.

'How is Lily?' he asked, as they moved up the stairs to the bedrooms.

'Tired, but gorgeous,' said James with a proud smile as he thought of his wife.

The door of the nursery was slightly ajar, and they could hear Sirius talking quietly. When they pushed it fully open, they heard him say, 'And you call me when you want your first taste of Firewhiskey. I'll look after you.'

'Stop corrupting my son, Padfoot,' said James, moving across the room to stand next to his friend. 'Come on, give him up. Moony wants to meet the next generation of Marauder.'

Sirius turned around and grinned at Remus. 'Hey, Moony,' he greeted him with a proud smile. 'Meet my godson.'

Remus laughed and walked towards his friends, looking down at the tiny, dark haired baby in Sirius' arms. 'Oh, I'm so sorry, Prongs,' he said in a sympathetic voice. 'He looks just like you.'

James punched him in the arm as they all laughed. 'He has Lily's eyes though,' he said, tickling his son's cheek to try and wake him up.

'Don't do that!' exclaimed Sirius, turning so James couldn't reach the baby. 'I just got him to sleep. Here Moony, meet Harry Potter.'

He made to hand the baby over to Remus, but the man backed off. 'No, I've never held a baby before…' he began, but Sirius gave a snort of laughter.

'And I had? Sit down, Moony. If I haven't broken him, you won't.'

'You'd better not,' came a female voice from the doorway, and a tired looking Lily Potter entered. 'Do you know how long it took me to deliver him? Hi, Remus.'

'Hi, Lily,' he replied, as he sat down and Sirius handed him the baby.

He looked down at the baby and felt a strange mixture of emotions. He was very happy for his friends, but a feeling of loss snuck up on him. He would never be able to hold his own child in his arms like this. His smile wavered a little, but when Lily ducked her head down next to his, he pushed the thought from his mind.

'He's beautiful, Lily,' he said softly.

'Yes, he is,' she agreed, smiling at Harry. 'But what comes out of him isn't,' she added, looking up at James. 'And there's a whole garbage bin full of it downstairs, still waiting to be taken out.' She raised her eyebrow and gestured her head surreptitiously towards Remus.

James gave her a slight nod and jumped up, and moved to the door. 'I'm on it, Lil,' he said obediently, gesturing to Sirius. 'Come and help me, Pads.'

Sirius groaned, and James added, 'Duties of a godfather, mate. It's not all sips of Firewhiskey and sneaking him into pubs.'

Lily looked annoyed, and Sirius quickly followed James out the door.

'Sirius is taking his responsibilities seriously, I see,' Remus joked, as Lily sat on the arm of the rocking chair, putting her arm around his shoulder.

'I think he's ready to settle down, you know,' she said, stroking Harry's cheek. 'I guess he's starting to realise he's getting older, and that he'd like to grow up. House, wife, kids.' She looked at Remus, who's smile had disappeared with her words.

'Remus,' she said quietly. 'He's moving on. Don't you think it's time you did too?'

She felt his shoulders tense, and saw a muscle in his jaw jump. 'She's dead, Remus. You need to stop questioning it, stop searching for her,' she said gently, frowning when he shook his head.

'We're worried about you, Remus,' she nearly whispered. 'It's been nearly two years, you need to let her go.'

'I can't, Lily,' he said, looking down at Harry, feeling the sadness that he lived with every day now. 'I just can't. I don't believe she's dead. I think she's hiding. I think whatever she got involved with became too much, and she had to get out.'

Lily shook her head. 'You need to forget about her…'

'Everyone keeps saying that, but no one tells me how to do it,' he said a little angrily, feeling tears rising as his frustration and despair surfaced. 'Don't you think I've tried? She's in my head, Lily. I can't get her out.'

'The memories will fade, Remus,' she said, but he shook his head, tears falling now.

'It's more than memories,' he said. 'I can't sleep because I see her every time I close my eyes. I can still feel her. I can still smell her.' He impatiently wiped his tears away. 'I can't believe she's dead, Lily.'

A tear ran down Lily's face and Remus felt guilty for making her relive her grief. Krystal had been Lily's best friend, and she had been devastated by her betrayal and disappearance.

She stood and walked over to look out the window, her arms crossed across her chest. 'And what if she isn't dead, Remus?' she asked softly. 'She still joined Voldemort; she still tried to kill us…..'

But he shook his head. 'Come on, Lily. You've seen Krystal duel. She could've killed us all even without Snape helping her, if she'd wanted to.'

He stood up carefully, holding Harry tight to his chest. 'She didn't want to hurt us. I know she didn't - I could see it on her face.' He put the baby in the cot, and walked over to stand next to her.

'But she did,' Lily said, turning to face him. 'She made a choice, she told me that, and she turned on us. Turned on you. And whether she's dead or not, it's been a long time, Remus. She's not coming back.'

He closed his eyes, trying to block out her words. He'd spent the last twenty months searching for Krystal. He had tried to contact her parents, who Dumbledore had said left the country when they heard about what Krystal had done. But he'd been unable to track them down, and a year ago, he'd heard they'd been killed in a car accident in Europe. He was a frequent visitor to Dumbledore, trying to get the man to reveal anything he knew about what had gone on, but he couldn't, or wouldn't, help him. He'd contacted the Ministry and tried to get them to help look for her, but they had listed her as dead, reluctant to help him anyway, viewing him with suspicion because of his affliction. Going to the Muggle police hadn't helped either, not once they found out she was listed as dead. But he refused to give up, refused to accept she was dead.

Lily put her hand on his arm. 'Sirius is taking James out tonight to celebrate Harry's birth. They really want you to go with them. Will you do that for them?'

He opened his mouth to refuse but she continued. 'They're still here, Remus. You need to spend some time with them; they miss you.'

He frowned, but she'd gotten through to him. He had become a hermit since Krystal disappeared. This was the first time he'd seen his friends in months.

'Alright,' he said reluctantly. 'I'll go.' She smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

* * *

Later that night, Sirius was putting yet another Firewhiskey in front of him, saying, 'Come on, Remus. You've turned into a lightweight.' Remus laughed, and downed the drink, his sixth, in one gulp.

'Don't look now, Pads,' said James in a low voice. 'But that bird over there is giving you the eye.'

'The blonde?' asked Sirius hopefully, having noticed the two women earlier.

'Yep,' said James, before throwing his whiskey down his throat. 'The brunette's got her eye on Moony.'

Remus looked up, startled. 'What?' he said, turning in his seat, ignoring Sirius' hiss not to look.

The two women were sitting at a nearby table and smiled at him. Remus felt his chest tighten for a moment: the brunette looked a little like Krystal. Her hair was a similar colour, and she had blue eyes, darker than Krystal's though. She was a built like Krystal as well.

'Interested, Moony?' he heard James say, but missing the look his friends gave each other.

Before he could shake his head, Sirius spoke. 'Let's invite them over,' he said, standing up and quickly moving over to the table, ignoring Remus' whispered instruction to stop.

'Shit,' said Remus, turning around and grabbing Sirius' drink, quickly gulping the shot.

'Alright, ladies,' he heard Sirius say. 'This is James, don't bother with him, he's disgustingly happy with his wife and baby. And this is Remus, who is very single, much like myself.'

'Hello, Remus,' said the brunette. 'I'm Penny.' He smiled at her, and she sat down very close to him.

* * *

Two hours later, a very drunk Remus was being pulled into a toilet stall by Penny, who was kissing him frantically. He ran his hands over her back then pushed her up against the locked door, pressing himself against her.

'God, Remus,' she moaned, as his mouth moved to her neck. 'That feels good.' He kissed her mouth again.

'Don't say anything,' he said, his hand moving up and under her dress. 'Just turn around.'

She smiled and turned, yanking down her knickers, and pulling up her skirt to reveal her very nice ass. He ran his hand over it, sliding it between her legs; the other fumbling with his fly, pushing his pants down far enough to free himself.

He moved closer, and felt himself sliding into the woman, thrusting hard and hearing her soft cry.

He could only see her hair, the dark brown almost the same colour as Krystal's, and he tangled his hand in it.

As he thrust hard into Penny, he was seeing Krystal's face, hearing her moans instead of the other woman's as her body tightened around him; and it was 'Krys', he groaned out when he came.

When his shudders stopped, he felt Penny move away, pulling up her underwear. He had almost been able to believe it was Krystal he was with, and he started slightly when she turned around to face him.

'That was nice,' she said, with a small smile. He tried to smile back at her, but he suddenly felt sober and was ashamed of himself, like he'd cheated on Krystal.

Pulling his pants up, he tried to calm his fast beating heart.

'Who's Krys?' she asked, pulling out a wand and casting a Cleansing spell on herself.

He sighed, running a hand over his eyes. 'I'm sorry,' he said, sinking onto the closed toilet behind him and putting his head in his hands. 'She….she's my girlfriend.'

He stopped and shook his head. 'She was my girlfriend. She…..died almost two years ago. I haven't been with anyone since and ….'

She put her hand on his shoulder. 'It's alright, Remus,' she said. 'It's not like I'm looking to get married or anything. It was just a quickie with a nice looking guy that made me hot.'

He let out a breath of laughter, and felt her kiss the top of his head. 'I'm sorry about your girlfriend,' she whispered to him, before she opened the door and left the bathroom.

For the first time since the night he and Sirius wept together, Remus felt his control slipping. He'd never voiced those words before - that Krystal had died, instead of disappeared. His eyes burned with tears and he ran his hands through his hair, pulling on it. He let the tears fall as he realised Lily was right. Even if he never accepted Krystal was dead, he had to try to move on. Because she wasn't coming back.

**15 months later**

'It can't be true, Albus,' she said, her eyes full of tears. 'They can't be dead.' Dumbledore took her hands, kneeling in front of her.

'I'm so very sorry, Krystal,' he said, his own eyes watering. 'There is no mistake.' She stood up, nearly knocking him over.

'I don't believe Sirius would do that…' she began, but he interrupted her.

'He was the Secret Keeper, Krystal. I know that for a fact. He was a spy for Voldemort.'

He didn't tell her that they had all believed Remus to be the spy - not Sirius. He had fallen into such a despair since she'd left; still, years later, refusing to accept that she was dead, withdrawing from everyone. They had all thought he had turned, offering information about the Order to the Dark Lord in exchange for information on what had happened to Krystal. But he had been wrong. It was Sirius who had betrayed his friends.

Krystal shook her head, and felt the tears coming, fighting them. Albus watched her with concern. It had been nearly three years since Krystal 'died', but she still didn't remember any of it. After he had told her friends, told Remus, that she was dead, he had returned to the house, only to find when she awoke that she had blocked what had happened from her memory. Her mind had protected her: she didn't remember any of it.

He had lied to her then, when she asked why she was here, and told her she was in a safe house as she was being hunted. She'd fought him, insisting on going back to fight, on contacting Remus, but he had convinced her she would put her friends in danger, and that argument, ironically, was the only one that worked. Her mind only allowed one memory to come through, her unconscious pulling the image from her brain at night, causing her to wake sweaty and shaking, with no understanding of why she kept dreaming of bright red blood on her hands.

'Remus,' she asked eventually, turning back to Albus. 'Is he alright? He must be devastated.'

Her chest hurt as she thought of him being left alone. 'First his parents died, now James and Lily and Peter. And Sirius in Azkaban. How is he?'

It had broken her heart not to be able to go back to him when his father died a year ago from ill health, his mother passing soon after.

Albus sighed, and sat on the couch. 'He is coping. Not well at times, but he is strong. He will….overcome this,' he said heavily.

He looked at her carefully, seeing her red rimmed eyes change. 'Lord Voldemort is gone for now Krystal, but he will be back. And he has many supporters still at large. It would still be too dangerous to reveal yourself to Remus.'

The light that had made her eyes hopeful died, and she nodded. 'I suppose I knew that, I guess I just hoped….'

She shook her head. 'He's gotten on with his life. I don't want to disrupt it again. Is he…is he happy?' she asked, not sure if she wanted to know if he'd met someone else.

Dumbledore sighed again and stood. He didn't want to lie to her anymore. 'No. He's not happy, Krystal. But he is trying.'

She was a little startled by his words, and was quiet for a minute. 'And Harry?' she asked eventually, concern in her eyes. 'What will happen to him now?' She stepped forward, hopeful.

'He could come here. No one knows him here, he would be safe.'

But Albus shook his head and said,' No. He has gone to live with Lily's sister and her husband.'

Krystal gaped at him, her face twisting in disbelief. 'Petunia?' she said incredulously. 'You left him with Petunia? Albus, she's a lunatic! She hates our world, she hated Lily. How could you leave him with her?'

'I will explain one day, but not today,' he said, walking towards her and putting his hand on her arm.

'For now, I must get back. Are you going to be alright?' he asked, concerned that this news may be a catalyst for something - exactly what, he wasn't sure.

She gave him a grim smile. 'I'll be fine, I suppose.' He frowned then hugged her goodbye, apparating back to Hogwarts.

* * *

'How is she?' a voice said as soon as he walked into his office.

'She is upset naturally,' Albus replied, hanging his coat up. 'And she wants to come back.'

Severus frowned. 'She can't come back….' he began, but Dumbledore interrupted him.

'I have told her that,' he said softly. 'I believe she understands, but…..'

He sighed, moving to the window and looking out at the darkening sky. 'I think she'll fight us harder this time. Now that Lily, James and Peter are dead, and Sirius is in Azkaban, Remus has no one left, and she is frantic about how he is coping with all of this.'

He turned to look at Severus with a worried frown. 'I am concerned that this news may stimulate her mind; return some of the memories. I want you to go and see her.'

Severus looked a little shocked. 'Me?' he said. 'Why me?'

'Because you are her friend,' said Dumbledore. 'She may grieve easier with someone she knows has also lost a loved one in all this.'

Severus clenched his jaw and his expression became pained, but Albus continued. 'She will argue with you about coming back; she will fight you in a way she will not with me. She needs to hear someone else tell her all the reasons she cannot return and she needs to believe them. Tread carefully though, Severus. I do not want her memories returning without being able to prepare her. I don't believe her mind could stand it.'

Severus sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. He felt his own guilt for what had happened to Krystal, wondering if he could have done things differently. And his sorrow over the loss of Lily was enormous, weighing him down. Seeing Krystal again now, for the first time in years, may not only be her undoing, but his. But he nodded, opening his eyes and, looking at an understanding Dumbledore, said, 'I'll go tomorrow.'

That night, for the first time, Krystal saw their faces in her dreams. James, Lily and Sirius. She saw them yelling, she saw them screaming in pain. The startling imagery woke her abruptly, but not before the familiar sight of herself with blood on her hands, flashed across her mind.

The next day, she apparated to the nearest wizarding hospital, approaching the counter. 'I have an appointment to see one of your memory retrieval wizards,' she said.

**12 years later**

Remus locked the door behind him and took a shaky breath. 'This was a mistake,' he said to himself as he pulled off his robes and threw himself onto his bed. 'A massive mistake.'

At Albus' insistence, he had returned to Hogwarts as a teacher - DADA teacher to be accurate. He frowned.

'This would have been Krystal's job,' he thought, remembering how much she was looking forward to taking the position.

He sighed and rolled onto his side. It was a little ironic: he had developed his love of defence through Krystal: she had been so enthusiastic about it. And now the job that was to be hers, was his. He closed his eyes as memories flooded through him of their time together at Hogwarts, stopping himself when he remembered how she used to sneak in and out of his bed, and what they used to do there all night.

Feeling his body stirring, he tried to think about something else, and his mind fell on the man he had seen again tonight for the first time in around fifteen years - Severus Snape. His anger rose as the man's face floated through his brain. It had been almost impossible for him to sit next to the man tonight and not wrap his hands around his throat. He had always felt the man goaded Krystal into hurting him and their friends, that he'd coerced her into joining Voldemorts' Death Eaters.

Remus gritted his teeth. He didn't know how the man had convinced Dumbledore he had changed, but he could never forgive him for what he made Krystal do. Conflicted, he rubbed at his face. Severus was, on Dumbledore's orders, making him a potion to help his transformations. It was a fairly new discovery - allowing him to keep his own mind at the full moon, a harmless wolf rather than a monster. Trying to be grateful was hard, knowing what the man was; what he'd helped Krystal do.

Over the last decade and a half, he had tried to move past what had happened, although he had never succeeded in getting over his first love, in accepting that she was dead. He still wanted to believe she was alive, that she was in hiding; but that was almost worse, thinking she was out there somewhere, able to come back to him but choosing not to.

Shaking his head, he crawled under the covers, his thoughts moving to Sirius. His old friend had escaped from Azkaban prison, and it was thought he would be coming after Harry. Remus still had trouble accepting that Sirius had betrayed James and Lily, that he had turned to Voldemort too, but he never thought Krystal could either. But she did; they both did. That fact was undeniable.

Sirius was one reason Dumbledore wanted him at Hogwarts this year; to help protect James and Lily's son. He sighed. Sirius had gone to a dark place for a while after Krystal died. They both had: Sirius was the only other person who could really understand how much Remus was suffering - having loved Krystal himself. But Sirius was able to pull himself out, largely thanks to being named Harry's godfather, and Remus found it impossible to see Sirius hurting Harry.

He smiled as he remembered seeing Harry for the first time since he was a few weeks old. Even as a baby, he'd looked like James, but now, he was thirteen and the resemblance was uncanny; the only difference being his eyes. He had his mother's eyes. His own eyes narrowed as he recalled the scar on Harry's head; the scar Lord Voldemort gave him when he tried to kill him; when he killed his parents.

Remus yawned, and closed his eyes. There was nothing he could do tonight about any of the thoughts in his head, and at the moment, he was too weary to care. His last thought before he fell into slumber was how much he hoped tomorrow would be the day he woke up and didn't reach across his bed for Krystal.

**2 years later**

'Hey, Moony!' the familiar voice said as he opened the door. Remus smiled.

'Hello, Padfoot,' he said, and drew his friend into a hug. Sirius was thin, very thin, and ragged looking - nothing like the good looking boy he used to know.

'Come in, Sirius,' he said, pulling him into his sparse, rundown house. Sirius looked around.

'Better than Azkaban but not much,' he commented, looking at Remus, who smiled grimly.

'Well, people willing to employ a werewolf are few and far between,' he said, mildly, putting the kettle on.

Sirius looked at his friend and was shocked by his appearance. He seemed older than his years, his face lined and his hair greying.

'Why didn't you keep the cottage?' he asked, then kicked himself for reminding him.

'Too many memories,' Remus said, putting a cup of tea in front of Sirius. 'Anyway, it belonged to Krystal's family really. Not me.'

Remus had offered the cottage to Dumbledore, who was one of the last of Krystal's family, the week after Krystal disappeared. He couldn't face going back to it. Albus had insisted on buying it off him, allowing Remus to buy this old house to live in.

He sat down and looked at Sirius. 'How's Harry?' he asked, knowing the boy must be devastated. He had witnessed a friends' death yesterday, and seen the Dark Lord return. 'He must be terrified.'

Sirius nodded. 'Yeah, he's pretty upset, but he wants to fight back. He's very much like James.' The pride in his voice was obvious.

The two friends talked for a while longer, before they separated, Remus to his bedroom, having made up the couch for Sirius.

Sirius' innocence had been discovered by Harry and his friends a year ago, but unfortunately, he was still on the run. Remus shook his head as he thought of Peter Pettigrew, their friend at school, the man who had turned against them and sold James and Lily to the dark side, setting up Sirius in the process and taking 12 years of his life away.

'Why do I find it so easy to hate Peter, yet not Krystal?' he wondered, thinking of her betrayal.

Maybe because he'd loved her so very much; maybe because he had always believed there was more to her disloyalty, especially now that Sirius' innocence had been discovered. Could there be a chance that Krystal wasn't guilty of betraying them either? He shook his head. It had been nearly sixteen years, and he swore he could still smell her on his skin. The shampoo she used, the perfume she wore, the scent of her arousal that still drove him crazy.

Clenching his eyes tight as he felt his own arousal grow, he tried not to remember the feel of her under him, the feel of her around him. In all these years, there had only been one other woman: a quick, drunken fuck in a toilet stall one night with a woman who looked enough like Krystal that he could pretend it was her. It wasn't that he didn't want to find someone else, he just couldn't find anyone who made him feel anything like he'd felt with her. Werewolves mated for life, only finding another partner upon the death of the first and he supposed the wolf in him, like the human, had yet to accept that his mate was really gone.

He sighed. His mind just wouldn't be shifted tonight. He yanked down his pants and quickly stroked himself, his fantasies, as always, featuring Krystal. After a few minutes, he reached for his wand to clean up, as usual feeling depressed that he couldn't move on; that he had to pull memories from his past to get any satisfaction. Throwing his wand back onto his side table, he rolled over, trying to think about other things.

His mind shifted with great effort back to Sirius. They were going to have to reform the Order of the Phoenix to fight Voldemort. Sirius looked weak, beaten. He hoped his friend was up for the battle.

'I hope I am,' he thought, knowing that years of misery and pain had also worn him down.

* * *

Several days later, on the other side of the world, Dumbledore was trying to convince Krystal to accept his offer.

'You are not the same person you were then, Krystal,' he argued, trying to get her to look at him. 'I trust you completely, and I will tell you everything you need to know to help Harry, but I need you closer. I need you to come back. I need you to join the Order.'

She finally turned to look at him, her bright blue eyes frightened. 'What if I am seen?' she asked.

'We will give the cottage all the protection available to us,' he said, misunderstanding her. 'The Death Eaters, Voldemort - they all believe you are dead. They will not search for you.'

She shook her head. 'I meant, what if Remus sees me? Or Sirius?' she said softly. 'They are both members of the Order; what if they find out about me? It has been a long time; Remus has moved on with his life; I don't want to bring up all those memories again.'

She felt an ache in her chest thinking about Remus. She tried not to let herself remember him too often. It hurt too much still. Albus took her hand.

'He has not been near the cottage since the day after you disappeared. He and Sirius are the only ones left who would associate it with you, and there is no reason to think either of them would go there suddenly after all this time.'

Krystal considered what Albus had asked her to do. To go back home, to leave the life she had made in Australia, to begin to use her gifts again; when the time came, to help Harry - Lily's son. She had been living almost as a Muggle for the last sixteen years, and she didn't even know if she could produce wandless magic anymore; or if she even had the strength to fight anymore.

'Krystal, please,' Albus said, still holding her hand. 'Lily's son needs you.'

She closed her eyes and shook her head. 'He's not above emotional blackmail then,' she thought resentfully.

She sighed, knowing that she was about to make a decision that could force her to confront everything she had done all over again. 'Alright, I'll do it - on one condition. I don't want my association with the Order to be known to anyone. Just you and Sev, yes? I will be your best kept secret.'

Her cousin nodded and stood. 'Thank you, Krystal,' he said softly. 'I know that can't have been an easy decision. But I think it's a good one. You are stronger now. You are able to start to live again.'

She stood as well and let out a tiny laugh. 'Albus,' she said, giving him a hug. 'You knew what I was going to do from the moment you walked in here.' He put his arms around her, squeezing her gently, then breaking free of her embrace.

'Yes, I knew you'd choose to come back,' he smiled, looking down at her. 'Because it's time. And because you are not a coward.'

She packed a few things, and prepared the house for her departure. Albus had said she wasn't a coward, and until now, she hadn't thought she was. But she was definitely thinking that running and hiding looked like a great option right now. 'They won't know,' she thought to herself. 'He promised he wouldn't tell them.'

Krystal had finally remembered everything about that night, and recalling those memories had lost her six months of her life, spent comatose in a mental ward. It had been a long, hard road to recovery, one which had nearly cost Krystal her life as well as her mind. But she'd been living with what she had done for over ten years now, and had developed ways to cope, and begin to accept responsibility.

She sighed and zipped up her bag, looking around the room one last time as she heard the pop of Albus returning for her. It was time to go back.

**18 months later**

Remus was feeling resentful about Dumbledore's mission for him. He had been sent to live with werewolves, his own kind, to try and gather support against Voldemort. But he was not having any luck.

He sighed and looked into the fire. He was eating at the Weasleys house tonight, and there was a lot of chatter around him. Turning his cup in his hands, his thoughts strayed to Harry. Dumbledore was giving him private lessons, but wouldn't tell anyone in the Order what they were about. He frowned.

'Sirius would have insisted on being told,' he thought, his chest aching at the memory of his friend. He'd been killed six months ago, but the pain of his passing still lingered, striking him every so often.

His mind turned to the other friends he'd lost. James and Lily, Harry's parents. Killed by Voldemort. And then there was Krystal. He swallowed hard, taking a gulp of wine to try and rid himself of the lump in his throat. It had been over seventeen years now since he'd last seen her, but the pain was as fresh as if it had happened yesterday. As she came into his mind yet again, something else pushed it's way in as well.

Nymphadora Tonks. A young Auror who had joined the Order last year had told him recently that she had feelings for him, that she thought she was in love with him. Remus frowned and moved uncomfortably in his seat. Tonks was very attractive, completely different to Krystal in looks, but similar in personality. She was strong, independent and cheerful. So why couldn't he bring himself to love her back?

He saw Molly Weasley heading his way, and decided to call it a night. The woman had been pressuring him to give Tonks a chance. Remus kept making excuses: he was too old for her; too poor; too dangerous, but both woman refused to listen. He stood, seeing Bill Weasley staring at him. The young man and he had become friends over the last year, and he was remarkably intuitive.

'Leaving Remus?' he asked, standing as well. 'I'll walk you out.'

Remus sighed, knowing he was going to get another Weasley talking to about Tonks. The two men walked out onto the porch, Bill speaking immediately.

'So who was she?' he asked, startling Remus.

'Sorry?' he said, frowning at the man.

'The woman you're still pining for,' he answered, walking down the stairs. 'Don't tell me there isn't one. There is no other good reason for you to not want Tonks. Unless you don't like women at all.'

Suddenly, Remus wanted to tell him everything, to share his confusion with someone. They stood in the semi darkness and Remus talked for half an hour, telling him all about Krystal, from the start until now. Bill listened, and then stared up at the sky, thinking.

'You still don't believe she's dead?' he asked, now realising why he'd never seen Remus with a woman.

The older man shook his head. 'No. I don't know. Maybe I'm just still hoping she's not; maybe I'm just still in denial,' he answered. 'I think I've lost perspective over the years.'

'Do you still love her?' he asked, looking at his friend.

'Yes. No. I don't know,' said Remus, feeling a burn in his chest. 'I still love the girl I knew…' he began, but Bill interrupted him.

'But she's not that girl anymore is she?' he said, with a small smile. 'If she's alive, she hasn't returned in seventeen years. Are you the same person you were seventeen years ago?'

Remus stared at him. 'No. I'm not,' he said, understanding what Bill was trying to say. He was in love with someone who didn't exist anymore. Maybe everyone was right. Maybe it was time to finally let go and let someone else in his heart.

**5 months later**

Remus shook as he came inside the body of the woman under him, his breath escaping in pants. He fell onto her and lay there, trying to suppress the emotion that had surfaced, tightly squeezing his eyes closed. The last thing he wanted was to let her see how rattled he was.

'That was worth waiting for,' she said a few minutes later, before kissing him enthusiastically on the lips. He smiled down at her and moved to lay beside her.

'I'm so happy you decided to give us a chance, Remus,' Tonks said, kissing his chest.

He mumbled into her bright pink hair, 'Time to let go.'

What?' she said, looking up at him.

'I'm happy too,' he said, thinking it wasn't untrue.

He had grown to care for Tonks over the past few weeks, and it was in the last few days he had finally opened himself up to the possibility of a future with her. She had proposed to him this morning, and he'd accepted today before they ended up in bed. The first time in sixteen years he'd been inside a woman.

He closed his eyes. It had been damn quick, but at least he'd been able to make sure she'd enjoyed it. He frowned. He'd refused her request that he go down on her, though. Tonks had been disappointed, but accepted his explanation that he believed it was too intimate an act for the first time together.

The truth was that he wasn't ready for that with someone else - it had been after he and Krystal were together like that for the first time that he'd realised he was in love with her. The act had too many memories associated with it still. He sighed. Who was he kidding? He and Krystal had learnt about sex together - everything reminded him of her, which was a big part of the reason he had never felt much of a need for sex over all these years, preferring self gratification over the flood of memories sex released. And lying here next to a young, beautiful woman nearly two decades after Krystal had disappeared, he still felt as though he was being unfaithful to his first love.

'Stop it!' he told himself irritably. If Krystal was alive, she'd probably moved on with her life, found someone else. His heart hurt when he thought about her with someone else; someone else kissing her, touching her. He felt physically ill when he thought that she could make love to another man the way she did to him; tell someone else that she loved him. He hadn't told Tonks that he loved her…Did he love her? Maybe. He'd opened up enough to have sex with her, which had been a big step. Perhaps what he felt wasn't the all consuming love he'd had with Krystal, but it was comfortable and secure. And Tonks loved him.

'It feels good to be loved again,' he thought, even though he felt guilty that he didn't feel the same way.

As he felt her falling asleep, he thought about the events of the last couple of days. Dumbledore had been killed - by Severus Snape. He closed his eyes as he remembered the Headmaster's funeral that day. Harry had been grief stricken, but determined. He had told Remus that Dumbledore had set him a task, and that he had to follow the path he had set for him.

Albus had left Remus a letter, explaining that Harry would be departing his family's home in the next few days to stay with an unknown Order member for several weeks. Remus had been disturbed when Minerva McGonagall gave him the letter she'd found in Dumbledore's office. It almost seemed like the old man had known something like this would happen. He wasn't very comfortable with Harry going who knows where with a stranger, but the letter had been very definite - Remus was not to tell anyone of these plans, only telling them that he was checking on Harry and he was fine.

'_Trust me, Remus, this one last time_,' he read at the end of the letter, puzzled by the ambiguous words. '_Soon you will know why I did everything the way I did, and I hope you will understand and forgive me.'_

He got carefully out of bed as another puzzling moment came to mind. At Dumbledore's funeral, there had been lots of people, many of whom he didn't know. But they were all sitting in a group alongside his tomb, except for one person. He hadn't seen the face of the shadowy figure, hiding amongst the trees, but had felt a feeling of familiarity come over him before he or she had disappeared into the forest.

He'd wandered down after the funeral, but he didn't see anyone. The thing that disturbed him was the smell. It was a slight fragrance still lingering that made his heart race. It was coconut, similar to the smell of Krystal's hair - the shampoo she used. Tonks couldn't smell it, when she came looking for him, and he wasn't completely sure he hadn't imagined it.

Moving quietly, he left the room and found his pants, feeling in the pocket. His fingers closed around what he was searching for, and he pulled it out of his pants. He ran his fingers over the heart charm, as he had done almost every day for over seventeen years. He'd carried this with him all that time, but maybe now, it was finally time to put it away.

**That same night**

Krystal was curled up on the couch in her house, eyes red and sore from crying. She already missed Albus, but she felt sure that, even though he'd never confirmed it, he had been in complete control of his end. She knew that Severus had been loyal to Dumbledore, he had been ever since Lily had been killed, and she didn't blame him for her cousin's death.

She'd been unable to resist attending the funeral, feeling sure she wouldn't be seen where she stood. But she hadn't counted on Remus' intuition. He had looked directly at her, and had moved towards her hiding spot as soon as the funeral ended. She'd only just hidden when he stepped into the woods.

Tears filled her eyes again when she remembered the pink haired woman (girl?) who'd followed him, who had kissed him on the lips.

'I am glad he's happy. I want him to be happy,' she muttered to herself, trying to stem her tears, control her jealousy. She forced herself to think of other things.

Harry. His face rose into her mind. She would be collecting him in a day or two. She was nervous, she had seen him from afar, but never close up. She'd heard he looked a lot like James. Biting her lip, she forced herself to stand up and walk to her bedroom. She changed some things in here, not able to stand sleeping alone in the same bed in which she'd made love to Remus. She crawled into bed and lay there, her foot twitching nervously as her mind raced.

Now Albus was dead, there was a very good chance that she would have to reveal herself to the Order. Albus had kept his word: only one person knew she was still alive now, and that was Severus Snape. He had kept in contact with her over the last year and now was the only contact between her and the Order, although, now they all thought he was a traitor.

Albus had left her a letter saying that he'd had to tell someone that Harry was being moved, and that Remus was the logical choice, being so close to Harry and someone the Order trusted completely. He didn't tell Remus where Harry was going, or who he would be with; only that he was to trust Dumbledore and not ask questions. He was told if Harry needed help, a Patronus would be sent with a message from 'an old friend' giving him their location.

The thought of this made Krystal edgy. She'd hoped, in the eventuality that they needed assistance, she would have been able to send a message, then disapparate once help arrived, but it was pointless now.

_In Seventh Year, Krystal and Remus practiced the Patronus charm, finally after several weeks, producing a corporeal Patronus. Remus' was a wolf, unsurprisingly, but what had surprised them was Krystal's Patronus - also a wolf - smaller than Remus'. It looked like a female. They watched as the misty wolves frolicked together, nipping at each other playfully._

_'See,' he'd said, kissing her. 'Even our Patronus' are a perfect match.'_

Anyone could be using the cottage - as far as anyone knew Dumbledore owned it now; he could allow anyone to stay there. Revealing it as the safe house would not necessarily give her away. But Remus knew her Patronus - the only person alive who did. Her secret would be out the second he saw it. And she wasn't positive that Albus didn't know that when he organised this. Krystal frowned, telling herself to stop it.

She had come a long way over the last eighteen years. It had taken her years, and a lot of confrontation, but she had finally stopped punishing herself for what she had done, eventually began to forgive herself for making a terrible decision. The emotional scars had begun to slowly mend, her mind finally healing itself, although the scars over her body were permanent evidence of how she'd tried to distract herself from the mental anguish with physical pain.

Krystal still shuddered when she remembered what had happened all those years ago. And she did remember now, having blocked it out for a long time. She knew she'd made a bad decision now, but that, at the time, she hadn't seen any other choice. The time was coming that she would have to explain that choice to Remus; to Harry, but not tonight. She rolled over and closed her eyes, willing sleep to take her. What would come, would come. And there nothing she could do to stop it.


	25. Chapter 24

**This chapter is where my original story started before I decided to go right back to the beginning. There are a couple of short chapters coming up of Harry and Krystal, picking up from beginning of DH (the book that screwed us all) - I'll post them all today and then...Da da da... (suspensful music) Will I post the return of Krystal today or will i take a bit of a break? Hmmm! Decisions, decisions - depends on reviews I would say. **

**Thanks MoonNightLover for your review - also hate hate hate T/R so guess how long that's going to last! Doesn't mean they get back together though!**

Chapter Twenty Four

Harry slammed the door to Number 4, Privet Drive behind him and pressed his back up against the cool wood. His aunt, uncle and cousin had just reluctantly departed to parts unknown for an extended holiday. Harry sighed. Persuading the Dursley's to leave had been exhausting. They were convinced he wanted them out of the way, not to keep them safe, but so he could steal their home.

Harry gave a short snort as he looked around the abnormally clean house he had grown up in. They really had no idea just how miserable he had been here for all these years. Well, maybe Aunt Petunia had an inkling. She had paused before she left and he got the feeling that she wanted to say something to him; but instead, she had turned away and followed her darling Dudders to the car.

He pushed himself off the door and made his way upstairs, lost in his thoughts. Soon he would be leaving this house forever. It was true that the house held no happy memories for him, but he had been safe here for the last 16 years. Harry's stomach turned over unpleasantly at the thought of the uncertainness of his future. He knew he had to find the Horcruxes before he could face Voldemort, but he had no idea of where to begin. Harry thought briefly of his parents and, for a moment, wished they or Sirius were here to guide him. Or that he could talk to Dumbledore about his anxieties. He shook himself. He couldn't ask his parents or mentors for advice: they were all gone. He was on his own.

He pushed open the door to his room. Although it was late morning, the room was in shadow, the blinds pulled, allowing only a sliver of light in. He knew the protective enchantments surrounding the house would keep Voldemort and his servants away for now, but Harry was still nervous. He walked over to his school trunk which was lying half unpacked on the floor. He had been out of bed early this morning sorting out everything he thought he might need. Harry didn't know what to expect on his journey, but wanted to be prepared for every contingency.

As far as he knew, there were no plans to come for him yet. He knew he'd end up at The Burrow at some point, but he hoped that he didn't have to wait until Bill Weasley's wedding for The Order to collect him - it was still nearly six weeks away. He wanted to be prepared though, for when they did arrive, so he turned back to his trunk.

School books and robes were tossed, carelessly into a corner of his room. He held up a Herbology textbook: he wasn't likely to need this. Without looking, he tossed it over into the corner to join the rest of his discarded belongings. It hit the wall with an unexpectedly loud crack, causing Harry to look up at the door hastily; waiting for the explosion from his uncle. Then he grinned as he realised he never had to listen to another Vernon Dursley lecture about what an ungrateful brat he was. Still smiling, he was just shoving the last of his clothes into his knapsack when he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. Harry turned his head and across the room, saw a figure standing in the shadows.

Adrenaline raced through him as he spun around, wand raised and yelled, "Stupefy!"

A bright white light flashed from the other side of the room, and his spell rebounded, the red jet of light singing his hair even as he ducked and lost his balance.

"Expelliarmus," he coughed out as he hit the floor. The light flashed again and he thought he heard a chuckle. Were they laughing at him?

Harry felt his temper burn. He pointed his wand at the shadows and thought 'Levicorpus'. Again his spell was deflected and this time, he definitely heard laughter - female laughter.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Harry yelled in frustration.

Suddenly, Harry, with a thrill of fear, he felt his body leave the ground. He tried a shield charm to no avail. He was now levitating in the air a foot off the ground. He sent a stream of hexes towards the shadowed stranger, all of which were blocked.

In desperation, Harry yelled "Crucio!"

There was a flash of silver light as the spell was sent rebounding into his dresser, smashing his mirror and sending shards of glass showering to the floor. At the same time, Harry felt himself fly backwards through the air. He grunted as his back hit his bedroom wall hard, feeling the breath rush out of his lungs. He only just managed to hang onto his wand, which he now raised, but before he could cast a spell, it flew out of his hand and across the room towards the arm that had emerged from the shadows. Harry gasped, struggling for air as his attacker stepped into the light.

"Is that really the best you can do? You don't stand a chance, Harry Potter - Boy Who Lived.'

The last few words fell sarcastically from the mouth of the seemingly amused woman standing before him.

'Here you are; defenceless and helpless - completely at my mercy.'

She raised an eyebrow as she walked up to him, her right arm held out in front of her and her left holding his wand. She stopped very close to him; he shuddered as he felt her breath on his neck. She raised his wand to his throat.

"It would be so very simple to kill you right here; right now,' she whispered tauntingly into his ear. 'And the wizarding world would lose their last hero.'

Harry felt sick: he'd failed everyone - his parents, his friends, Sirius, Dumbledore. He had been beaten before he'd even begun.

The woman turned her head and looked into his eyes, seeing the dread there. 'Are you frightened, Harry?' she asked, moving so she was looking directly into his face.

He looked up at her and shook his head defiantly.

She let out a soft laugh. "I can see your fear, Harry. In your eyes.' She frowned and he thought that she looked somewhat uncertain for a moment.

But then, her face closed up again and her eyes drilled into his, seeming to search for something.

'But, considering what you think I am, you're not nearly as scared as you should be,' she murmured, thoughtfully. 'I've got my work cut out for me."

She shook her head, and lowered her arm, turning away from him with a sigh.

Harry felt himself slide down the wall. He dropped to the ground, his shaking legs unable to support him. The woman spun around and threw his wand to him. He caught it, fumbling and looked uncertainly up at her, wondering what was going on.

"Good thing I'm not a Death Eater; disarming you was far too easy,' she said briskly, a reprimand in her voice. She turned her back on him and waved her hands at the glass on the floor.

"And _you_ are the last, great hope of the wizarding world?' she muttered, shaking her head as the smashed mirror repaired itself. "God help us all!"

"You're _not_ a Death Eater? Who….who are you then?" Harry stuttered, confused.

Now that his fear had receded a little, he realised that she hadn't tried to curse him, only deflected his spells. Maybe she was telling the truth; maybe she really wasn't going to kill him. He raised his wand slightly, though, as she strode towards him, still unsure of her intentions. She glared down at him for a moment, as if hurt he doubted her, and then put out her hand to help him up.

After a moment's hesitation, he took it, allowing her to pull him to his feet. She held onto his hand as they stood face to face. He looked into her eyes - the vivid blue seemed familiar. Her face, pretty, but hard, softened a little as she looked at him.

"If I didn't know better…." she said softly, her free hand reaching out as if to touch his cheek.

Harry thought he saw a shadow move across her eyes for a second before she blinked and shook her head, her hand falling to her side. She dropped the hand she still held and stepped back.

"I'm Krystal," she said, matter of factly. "I'm the one who is going to help you win this war".

He looked at her, gob smacked by her announcement.

The corner of her mouth turned up slightly, and she looked away. "Finished packing?' she asked lightly, picking up his knapsack and handing it to him.

He nodded, still a little wary of her. She looked around the room, her eyes lingering on a photo of his parents he had not been able to fit in his bag.

She frowned again. "Nothing left for you here then,' she said, quietly, tearing her eyes away from the picture. He could see a muscle jump in her clenched jaw as she grabbed his arm firmly.

"Come on,' she said, dragging him out of the room; out of the house.

Once they were in the street, she said, 'Hang on tight,' as she spun on the spot.

* * *

Darkness engulfed him, squeezing tighter and tighter. He felt sick; the world was spinning. Then, when he thought he could take no more, the grip on him released and light shone into his eyes, blinding him for a second after the gloom of his room. He drew a shaky breath, filling his compressed lungs as he looked around him. He was no longer in Privet Drive but in a wide open field. He felt the wind on his face and the scratching of long grass against his jeans. Harry glanced at his companion, who was walking quickly away from him, head turning from side to side as she looked around the field. She hadn't given him a chance to protest as they Disapparated from the Dursley's.

Before he had a chance to ask where they were, she stopped and called to him impatiently, "Come on, Harry, out of the open. Do you want them to find us?' She strode towards a clump of trees, her cloak billowing out behind her.

Harry picked up his bag, noticing that a Disillusionment spell had been cast on him. His body blended into his surroundings as he followed the woman who had called herself Krystal. She must have cast the charm, although he was sure he hadn't seen her do it. He wondered, not for the first time, if he should try and Disapparate away - maybe to The Burrow. He wasn't licensed for Apparition, but he could do it. He stopped, unsure of what he should do. Although he didn't know who this woman was, he was no longer frightened of her.

'Well,' he corrected himself. 'He was no longer worried he was going to kill him, anyway.'

But the thought of just disappearing with some unknown person - Mad Eye Moody would murder him if he knew what he was doing.

'She's had plenty of time to hurt me,' he argued with himself, walking towards her now. 'Surely, if she intended on doing that, she would have done it by now?'

He looked up and saw that Krystal had paused at the edge of the trees. She had turned back to look at him with a small smile, seeming to guess what he was thinking.

"If I'd wanted you dead Harry, you already would be," she assured him.

Waving him forward, she handed him a piece of paper. "Read it - not out loud," she ordered, as she looked around them.

He glanced at the note, seeing the words 'Campbell Cottage'. As he thought about what he had read, a small wooden house appeared in front of them. The note burst into flames, Harry dropping it quickly. He looked at Krystal who moved towards the cottage.

"I'm one of the cottage's Secret Keepers - you know how the charm works?"

He nodded and she stepped onto the veranda which encircled the house. She turned to look at him and her hand twitched slightly. He saw that the Disillusionment Charm had lifted as she opened the door of her home, calling to him, "Take your shoes off. I just cleaned the floors."

Harry stepped up onto the veranda and slid his feet out of his trainers. He tentatively stepped over the threshold into the house, his sock covered feet sliding a little on the wooden floor. He looked around, not seeing her as he made his way further into the room.

The small house seemed quite cosy. One large room made do for the common areas, with two closed doors leading off towards what he guessed were the bedroom and bathroom. The walls were painted a light blue and trimmed in yellow. Cupboards ran around the edge of one end of the room, a square pine table and chairs stood in the middle and a large colourful rug lay in front of a green couch at the other. The house seemed clean, although not in an unnatural, obsessive Aunt Petunia way. Harry was surprised at how, instinctively, he felt more comfortable in this strangers' house than he had ever felt with his family at Privet Drive.

A door opened off to the side of the room and Krystal emerged. She had removed her cloak and shoes and was now barefoot, wearing Muggle clothes: cut off jeans and tight hot pink t shirt that proclaimed her as "HOT STUFF". Watching her walk across the kitchen, Harry couldn't help but agree with the shirt.

Back at the house, the cloak had hidden her frame, and the dark, disguised her features: but now he had a clear view of her. She was a taller than him; slim, but curvy in all the right places.

'Very curvy,' he noticed, looking at the front of her shirt.

She was younger than he had first thought, mid to late thirties maybe, but she had a weary look about her; like she hadn't smiled for a very long time. She reminded him of someone he knew, although he couldn't think of who. As she walked past a window into the kitchen, the sun picked up red in her long dark brown hair which, now she'd let out from the ponytail it had been in, hung down to the middle of her shoulder blades.

Harry watched her as she filled a kettle and put it on the stove, realising as she filled the kettle who it was she reminded him of. Professor Lupin - his old defence teacher, and friend of his parents. He always looked exhausted and older than his years, his hair greying and face lined, but he was a werewolf. Harry had seen the transformations - they would be enough to make anyone look old and tired. Harry briefly wondered if this woman was a werewolf too, but didn't want to ask.

"I don't have a spare room, so you are sleeping on the couch, I'm afraid," she said, her words slightly muffled as she bent to get a saucepan out of a cupboard. Harry's eyes unconsciously slid down to her rear, before he caught himself and looked away.

"It's pretty comfortable, you should be ok,' she continued, oblivious to his wandering eyes. "Are you hungry? I'm starved. I didn't eat before coming to collect you and ….." the end of her sentence drifted off unheard as she stepped into a pantry.

Harry put his knapsack down next to the couch as Krystal emerged into the kitchen again, munching on an apple and holding some cans.

"Soup," she muttered with a trace of disgust in her voice. "It'll have to do." She began to open the cans as the kettle whistled.

"Make yourself useful, will you?" she said, gesturing to the kettle. "I'd kill for a cup of coffee - not literally, of course".

She glanced over at him and smiled. Harry couldn't help giving her a small smile in return.

Harry moved into the kitchen. He found the mugs in a high cupboard and the coffee in a can on the bench. He made them both a cup, feeling as though he needed a boost as well. His mind flew as he made the coffee. Who was this woman? How did she get past the enchantments on his relative's house? She was obviously a witch; she had shielded his hexes and placed the Disillusionment Charm on him, but he had yet to see a wand. He glanced at her as she stirred the soup, still chewing the red apple. She didn't cook like a witch, he noted. Mrs Weasley always had her wand out in the kitchen. This woman cooked like a Muggle.

Harry handed Krystal her coffee and sat at the table with his at her insistence. Krystal clattered about the kitchen collecting bowls and spoons and serving out the soup. She placed his bowl in front of him and sat down with her meal across the table, scooping it into her mouth quickly. Harry was hungry as well and attacked the soup with nearly as much enthusiasm as Krystal.

He raised his head to sneak a look at her, just in time to see her wave her hand at the pantry. He watched as the door flew open and a loaf of bread came floating out, settling on the table between them.

'Watch it, Harry,' she warned, as a sharp knife whizzed over his head, straight into her hand. He gaped at her as she cut the bread and handed him a chunk: he still didn't see a wand.

"Many wizards and witches can perform wandless magic," she said in a flippant tone.

He looked a little startled that she again knew exactly what he was thinking. As he spooned soup into his mouth, he thought about what he knew about wandless magic. He knew it was unusual: that very talented witches or wizards could sometimes perform some spells without needing a wand, but the only wizard he had seen do wandless magic was Dumbledore, and even he usually used a wand. Who was this woman? Questions were flooding his mind, his hunger was disappearing as his need for explanations grew.

Harry frowned and looked up at Krystal. Her frenzied eating had slowed. She was sitting back in her chair, chewing on a piece of bread and watching him, again seeming to read his mind.

"Go ahead," she said with a shrug, "Ask me what you want".

He sat back in his chair as well. "You'll answer me? You'll tell me the truth?" he asked, surprised by both her uncanny ability to read his thoughts and her invitation to ask the questions that were screaming through his brain.

Krystal smiled grimly at him. 'You don't sound like you get told the truth very often, Harry,' she said, picking at her chunk of bread now.

Harry shook his head. 'Everyone seems to think I need protection; no one tells me anything,' he said, a little resentfully.

Krystal leaned forward and put down her food. "I disagreed with the Order when they decided not to tell you about the prophecy. How they could have expected you to be prepared for what was thrown at you when you did not have the information you needed or the proper training required..."

Her voice faded and this time there was no mistaking the sadness in her eyes. "They paid dearly for that mistake, though," she said softly, her voice strained.

Harry's mind flew back to the moment Sirius fell through the veil in the Department of Mysteries. He was still haunted by the frozen look on his godfather's face. But how did this woman know about all of this?

Krystal stood, her scraping chair jolting him out of his reverie. She looked down at him with a determined look on her face. "I know what it's like to be kept in the dark; to be always wondering what if…… ' She stopped and took a breath.

'I promise you, Harry. If I can answer your questions, I will. I will never lie to you."

He looked into her set face and believed her.


	26. Chapter 25

**Reviews please! **

Chapter Twenty Five

Harry's soup was forgotten as he stared at Krystal. She popped the last of her bread in her mouth, then took her bowl to the sink. He followed automatically, washing his bowl out as she cleaned the table. When the bowls and saucepan were sitting on the drainer, Krystal grabbed her coffee and headed out the front door, waving to him. Again, Harry followed. Krystal had sat on the top stair and gestured that he should do the same. He did, and felt her expectant gaze on him.

His questions rushed out before he had a chance to stop them. "How did you get into my aunt's house? How do you know what's going on in the Order? Why did you bring me here? Who are you?"

Krystal held up her hand and Harry felt his words die in his throat. "Hold on," she said. "You're rambling."

She stood up and walked away from him. Harry stood also, an anxious thought running through his head. Had she changed her mind about telling him everything?

Krystal turned back around to face Harry. "Let's start at the beginning,' she said. 'My name is Krystal O'Connor. I _am_ a witch and a member of the Order of the Phoenix; albeit a silent member.' She frowned at him. "Sit down, Harry."

He sat as she began pacing up and down. "Your Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore is my cousin - distant cousin on my fathers' mothers' side, but we share the same blood nevertheless. I spent a fair amount of time with him as a small child, and Albus was Headmaster when I was at school. As we found common interests, we became close. He's been like a father to me these last years.'

Her focus was straying, and she quickly tried to pull it back to the task at hand.

Harry spoke, having used her moment of distraction to do some quick math in his head. "You went to school at Hogwarts?' She stopped pacing and looked down at him. "You might have known my parents - they would have been about your age…"

He stopped talking as Krystal resumed her pacing, moving away from him. "I…I did go to school at Hogwarts," she said, sounding somewhat reluctant before she paused.

Her back still to him, she seemed to silently struggle with something before she continued, "And I did know your parents."

Harry felt his heart jump. She had known his parents; known Sirius. "You …"

She shook her head and continued on as if he hadn't said anything. "I had been living a very peaceful life in Australia until you saw Voldemort return 2 years ago. Albus contacted me at that time and asked me to move back to the country.'

She shook her head again as Harry opened his mouth. "Don't interrupt me," she said. 'I'll answer your questions in time."

Harry frowned and leaned back against the railings.

"I've kept in contact with Albus and….,' she paused, remembering she couldn't mention Severus. 'I know what has been going on."

Harry couldn't help himself, despite her warnings not to interrupt. "I've never heard any of them mention you….."

Krystal looked a little annoyed, but answered him. "No, you wouldn't have. Albus, at my request, kept my involvement in the Order quiet."

Harry frowned and said, "So no one else knows you? No one else knows I'm here with you?" He wasn't sure he liked the idea of no one knowing where he was.

Krystal's jaw clenched a little and she seemed to choose her words carefully. "There are other Order members who knew me in the past, and Albus left word with one who knows that you were leaving Privet Drive today, but no one is aware that I am the one helping you.'

She paused again, frowning. "There are reasons I wanted my association with the Order kept quiet, but it's not because I wish you harm. They are…personal reasons." Harry saw the muscle in her jaw jump as her frown deepened. She looked at him. "Albus didn't hint about any of this at all, did he?"

He shook his head. "I kept telling him he needed to trust you more; confide in you more." She sighed. "He's too protective. That's his greatest fault when it comes to you….and me."

Her voice trailed off as Harry, picking up her use of present tense when she spoke of Dumbledore, said, "You do know that Dumbledore is dead? That Snape killed him?"

Krystal looked at him with a combination of hurt and anger on her face. "Yes. I am aware that my cousin is dead," she said stiffly as she turned away from him. 'I attended his funeral.'

Harry immediately felt ashamed of his blunt comment. Dumbledore and Krystal were family, and it seemed, confidantes. Krystal's reaction told him that she had been wounded by his headmaster's death. He opened his mouth to try and apologise, but she interrupted him.

"Albus and I had our plans completed before his death. I suspect he had an inkling he wouldn't…..," her shaky voice trailed off and she stared out into the trees surrounding the house. After a few moments, she took a deep breath and continued.

"I was to collect you from your aunt and uncle's home during the first few days of your holidays and bring you here. The enchantments on the house are weakening; that's how I managed to get through," she said, anticipating his question. "They are still holding and if I had wanted to do you harm, I would never have gotten through them. But, as I was there for you on Albus' orders….. ' A flash of pain ran across her face, but it was gone almost as soon as it had appeared.

'Anyway," she continued, "I was to bring you here and explain who I am. You are to stay here until I decide that you are ready to leave and then you will meet your friends Rob and Hermione……"

"Ron and Hermione," corrected Harry.

"Whatever," Krystal said, with a dismissive wave of her hand. "You are to meet up with them at Arthur Weasley's for a wedding…" She shook her head. Seemingly, she disapproved of weddings. "You could be doing much more constructive…..'

She bit her lip and closed her eyes for a moment, appearing to think better of her next words. After a second she said, "Well, that's the plan. After the wedding, you and your friends are to find the Horcruxes and destroy them. Quite simple really," she added, light sarcasm in her tone.

Harry stared at her. "You haven't told me why I am here. Why did I have to come here with you? How will you decide when I'm ready to leave?"

Krystal glared at him. "Isn't it obvious? You won't be returning to school and, as Albus is…..gone, I am taking over your lessons," she said, looking at Harry. "In our sessions you will learn about the Dark Arts and I will teach you what you need to know to confront Voldemort and maybe come out the other end alive."

Harry was almost embarrassed by the intensity of the wave of relief that washed over him. Dumbledore hadn't left him to fight alone. He had sent someone to help him.

"I thought I had to continue by myself," he said. "I thought I had to beat Voldemort on my own."

Krystal stared at him for a few seconds then dropped down on the step next to him. To his surprise, she reached out to cover his hand with hers, her face losing it's harsh edge as she spoke.

"You do," she said gently.

Harry's heart dropped. "But…." he stammered. Krystal interrupted him.

"I will teach you things you need to know to find the Horcruxes, but I can't come with you. I will train you so you know how to fight the Death Eaters on your journey, and if you need my help; really need my help, I will come to you. I will teach you everything I can to keep you alive until you have completed your mission; and to get you to You Know Who, but as for actually finishing him; you are on your own, Harry. For reasons I don't fully understand myself, you are the only one who can defeat him."

Disappointment sliced through Harry. He'd hoped for a loophole in the prophecy; for someone else to fight with him; to complete his task for him if he couldn't. He didn't want to admit it to anyone, but he was afraid - he didn't know if he was ready. Harry looked away from her, but she took his chin in her hand and turned his face to hers. Her blue eyes met his green ones. He now knew why they seemed so familiar. They were Dumbledore's eyes.

Her gaze was piercing and again he was sure she knew exactly what he was thinking. "You'll be ready, Harry," she said with steel in her voice. "When it's time, I'll make sure you're ready." Harry held her gaze. He believed her.

"And you'll tell me everything?" he questioned. Krystal hesitated and Harry said forcefully, "You said you would tell me everything."

"Everything I was able to tell you," she corrected. "I will tell you everything you need to continue. But there are things you need to learn for yourself during your journey; things that you cannot know now."

Harry felt his temper rise: she'd promised she wouldn't lie to him, yet here she was; twisting words to avoid having to tell him the truth.

"I didn't lie to you, Harry," she said quietly. "There are things I cannot tell you - literally can not tell you as there is a tongue bind spell in place; and there are things I don't know myself. Albus wanted it this way. He thought it was best. I promised I would never lie to you, Harry. If I can answer you, I will."

Her eyes bored into his and he wrenched his gaze away. "How do I know if I can trust you?" he said, finally asking the question that had been in his mind since she appeared in his bedroom. "I don't even know you".

Krystal threw up her hands. "Finally!"

She smiled, as she saw his confused face. "You finally asked the question you should've asked me first."

He coloured a little as he realised she was right, he had been incautious, just blindly following her. He should never have come with her; should not allowed himself to be so easily led.

"Stop beating yourself up. It's not like I gave you a whole lot of choice about coming with me. But I am curious. Why didn't you fight me harder?' she asked, watching him closely.

Harry shook his head. 'I don't know,' he admitted. 'You never actually tried to hurt me, and…..' He stopped, unable to actually explain why he was so sure she wasn't going to harm him.

'You have good instincts, Harry,' she said softly. 'I have no intention of hurting you, but you are right not to trust me.'

He looked a little alarmed, and she continued. 'This is Albus' plan; I'm just following his orders. So, to answer your question: don't trust me." She looked into his eyes. "Trust Dumbledore."

He stared at her for a moment, then she moved away. 'I didn't see you at his funeral,' Harry said, watching her walk away from him. As upset as he'd been, he was sure he would have remembered her.

'And that butt,' he thought, before flushing a little. She had gone to school with his parents, for God's sake; she was old enough to be his mother.

Krystal pulled herself onto the top of the railing around the veranda and looked over at him. 'I…There were people there I didn't particularly want to see,' she said softly, her eyes moving, looking off into the trees.

'Who?' asked Harry, curious about her, and her association with the Order. She looked back at him, and gave him a crooked smile.

'I saw you there,' she said, avoiding his question. 'Is the red head your girlfriend?'

She was referring to Ginny Weasley. Harry's face changed and he looked down at the ground. 'She was,' he said, his voice low. 'I finished it. She's already been put at risk because of me. I don't want that to happen again.'

He looked back up at her, and was startled by the emotion he saw on her face.

'It's hard,' she said, sadness clouding her eyes, audible in her voice. 'Making those decisions; hurting someone to try and keep them safe. It's the right choice though; no matter how wrong it seems.'

Harry watched her as she fell silent. She rested her head against a pole and closed her eyes, seeming to be trying to keep herself under control.

'And the red haired boy and brown haired girl you spoke with afterwards?' she asked, turning back to him. 'Was that Ron and Hermione?' He nodded.

'Albus must have thought a lot of them to trust them with the task. They must be good friends.'

Smiling now, he nodded. 'They are - the best,' he said, thinking of the duo he'd been friends with since his first year of school.

'Tell me how you became friends,' she said, watching as his face lit up at the thought of his friends.

She sighed quietly. She used to have friends like that. Harry started to talk, telling her all about his friends and the things they had done together. She listened, asking questions occasionally. She'd asked the questions for several reasons. She wanted to know what kind of experience Harry had with the Dark Arts, if any; but also to find out about his relationship with the others - what their talents were; their strengths. She also just wanted to know more about the son of her former best friend.

As he spoke, she looked at him, silently marvelling how much he looked like his father. She'd been frozen for a minute as she'd watched him pack back at Privet Drive. For a few moments, she'd thought he really was James.

'He even sounds like him,' she thought.

Her eyes met his for a moment, and she looked away, feeling a stab of guilt. The only part of his physical appearance that was his mother's were his eyes. She hurt looking at them, recalling how Lily had looked at her the last time they'd seen each other. Confused; distraught; betrayed.

Harry finished talking, having felt her eyes studying him as he spoke. He saw her frowning as she looked at him, and wondered why. He remembered again that she had gone to school with her parents, and asked, 'Did you know my parents well?'.

She glanced over at him, jolted out of her thoughts. She stared at him, as if trying to make up her mind about something.

'Your mother better than your father,' she said, quickly sliding down off the rail.

'You were friends with my mum?' he asked, hopeful she would be able to tell him more about her.

'I used to be,' she said, walking towards the door of the cottage. 'We…had a falling out before you were born - my fault. She didn't know me as well as she thought she did.'

Harry frowned. 'And did you know Sirius? Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin? They were my dad's friends…'

His voice trailed off as her face went pale, a flash of pain streaking through her eyes. She blinked rapidly and turned her face away from him, putting her hand on the doorknob.

'Yes,' she said softly. 'I knew them.'

Before he could ask anything else, she'd turned the knob and walked inside, closing the door behind her.


	27. Chapter 26

**I think it's the next chapter, MoonNightLover - thanks for review. I'm still thinking about it!!**

Chapter Twenty Six

Krystal needed some space. She went into her room and closed the door. She leant her forehead against the wood for a minute, fighting down the burn of misery inside her chest. The grief she'd felt when she'd heard about Albus' death was still too raw to be talking so freely about him now, but she knew she must continue with their plans.

Krystal felt exhausted. She had been living almost as a Muggle for 16 years, only beginning to use her skills seriously again after Albus had convinced her 2 years ago to come back to the country and join the Order. Although it felt good to be using magic practically again, it still tended to tire her. Add all that to the shock she'd felt at seeing Harry, and the lack of sleep over the past few days, it was no wonder she felt drained.

She sighed. Talking about them, remembering them had been much more difficult than she thought it would be. Images of her former friends ran through her mind and she banged her head none to gently against the door. She shouldn't have mentioned that she knew Harry's parents. He would want to press her for details of her relationship with them; with the Marauders. Details she was unwilling to rehash. She shook her head and lifted it from the door.

'He would have found out anyway,' she thought to herself. 'There is still one Marauder left.'

She sat on her bed and, unable to resist the urge, pulled out a photo album from underneath. She flicked over her baby photos and the photos of her childhood until she found the one she wanted. Her parents. They looked so happy in this picture. They were at her seventeenth birthday party, held in the holidays before her Seventh Year at school. They were dancing together, gazing into each others' eyes; her father holding her mother like she was made of glass - gently, tenderly. Krystal had taken the photo and remembered feeling a little embarrassed that her parents were acting so soppy in front of her friends.

"Hi Mum, hi Dad," she whispered, running her finger gently over each of their faces. They turned and smiled at her. She smiled sadly back, watching them dance for a minute longer before turning the page.

More photos from her birthday party, but this time she was in them. Dancing with her friend's Mary and Alice. 'What had happened to them?' she wondered.

Levitating Peter Pettigrew into the air without a wand. Krystal smiled grimly: Remus had distracted her with a kiss on the back of the neck and the heavyset boy had come crashing to the ground. She took that photo out and Vanished it. She hated Peter, even at school, and knowing what he was, how he'd become a traitor…

She took a breath and looked at the remaining photos. There she was, watching and laughing as James Potter and Sirius Black pretended to feed each other cake; and ending up smashing it into each others' face. Posing with Lily Evans, both of them flirting playfully for the boy behind the camera, Remus Lupin. She and Lily both waving frantically at Remus and, in the next photo, he was smiling shyly from under both their arms. A group shot with all of her friends yelling 'Happy Birthday' as her dad took the photo. Krystal smiled. It had been a wonderful party, the last with her family and friends all together. She turned the page.

She felt heat shoot through her body as she stared at the photo. It was of her with Remus; just the two of them for a change. They were at her party, but had managed to find a quiet corner. They were sitting close together on the couch talking. Then Remus reached over and gently brushed a tendril of hair away from her eyes, both their faces reddening a little as the side of his hand grazed her face.

Krystal could still feel the brush of his hand against her skin. Her breathing quickened and her heart clenched at the memory of what they'd been talking about on that couch; what had happened between them that night. It had been years since she'd had the courage to look at these pictures and as she did, old, unresolved feelings came flooding back; feelings she had repressed for so long.

She could still feel Remus' touch, his lips on hers, his body inside hers. She could still smell his scent, taste his skin on her tongue. In her dreams he still made love to her, whispering how much he loved her and how he would for the rest of his life - just like he used to. And when she woke in the morning, in the moments before reality hit, she still felt for him, feeling bereft when she realised he wasn't there.

She shook herself. Too much had happened, too many bridges burnt. He was involved with someone now, she knew. She felt a sob rising in her throat and tore her gaze from the picture. She had killed any hope for a future for them a long time ago. She went to close the album, glancing carelessly at the last photo on the page. She stopped and opened the album fully again. This picture also made her pulse race, but for a different reason.

In the last photo, she was standing with a dark haired young man who was trying to walk out of the picture. Her younger self kept pulling him back. Krystal tore back the protective plastic that had held the photo in place for all these years. She had forgotten about this photo, she realised as she held it up with a trembling hand. Her mother must have slipped it in with the others.

The album slid off her lap forgotten as she stared at the two people in the photo. Memories of the last times she had spent with Severus flooded through her and she closed her eyes. The dark self loathing and anger she had finally managed to pull herself out of, bubbled up, simmering just below the surface. Krystal knew that to dive into it would numb her; shield her. But she refused to give in to her shadows anymore.

Krystal lowered the photo and, with her shaking hand, slowly crushed it. She'd lost everything by the end of that last night with Sev - her friends, her family, Remus. Her anger; her fear of being weak and helpless had destroyed everything she loved, and had very nearly cost Krystal her sanity as well as her life. She would give anything, _anything_, to be able to take back the events of that night.

She slammed the album shut with her foot and pushed it back under her bed, hearing it scrape the floor as it went. It wouldn't do her or Harry any good for her to dwell in the past. She heard a knock on the bedroom door. She stood and tore up the crumpled photograph, magically Vanishing it with a flick of her fingers. She ran her hands through her hair and tried to regain a little composure before she faced Harry.

* * *

Harry stood up from the stairs and walked back inside. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting on the veranda, but the soup he'd eaten for lunch was long gone. His stomach growled as he looked around the cottage. He couldn't see Krystal. Her bedroom door was closed and as he stepped closer, he heard a scraping noise from inside. He knocked and waited for Krystal to open the door. When she did, he could see she was upset, although she was trying hard not to show it. Her hair was rumpled and her face was tense and pale. She tried to smile when she saw him, and moved out into the living room.

"I suppose I'd better tell you more about what I'm supposed to be teaching you," she said abruptly.

Harry, his hunger forgotten, was a little taken aback. He had expected to have to ask about the lessons he was supposed to have with her.

'Albus felt that although you had learnt a little of the horrors of Dark Magic, that you may be still ill equipped to actually face it," she said looking closely at Harry as she spoke.

"And after what I saw today, I agree with him."

Harry's temper rose a little as he said "Well, I suppose I've only fought Voldemort four times……."

Krystal interrupted him, impatiently saying, 'Albus explained that. I'm not doubting your courage, Harry. That's not what I meant.'

She came closer to him. 'You aren't prepared to do the worst, no matter how much you think you are. You aren't ready to hurt; to kill.'

She saw his mouth open again and held up a hand, magically halting his words in his throat.

'The spells the Death Eaters know, that they will use against you….I've seen what they can do, Harry. You aren't prepared to face them; you don't know what you're getting into. If you did, you would have been a hell of a lot more terrified this morning when you thought I was one of them.'

She lowered her hand and looked at Harry, noticing the look of anger still on his face. Deciding a change of tactics was needed, she turned and walked to the other side of the room.

'Got your wand?" Harry frowned slightly and pulled his wand out of his back pocket. 'Good - o,' said Krystal cheerfully. 'I want you to curse me. Shouldn't be too hard for you given the way you're glaring at me. Go ahead,' she said nodding as Harry hesitated.

'Or would you like me to curse you first?' she said cheekily, as she raised her hand. 'I'd be more than happy to.'

'Stupefy!' Harry sent a stream of red light straight at Krystal's chest.

He was determined to show her he had what it takes to fight - and win. Too late he noticed she did not have a wand. He stepped forward, panicked, but Krystal raised her hand and waved it as if she were swatting away a fly. A stream of bright white light knocked the red light back at Harry, who quickly ducked.

He stood slowly and looked carefully at Krystal, who said 'You hesitated, Harry - you weren't prepared to hurt me, even though I would've happily hurt you.'

He ignored her words; she still held no wand. 'Where is your wand?' he asked. Krystal moved to the couch and sat down.

'Wandless magic,' she said.

'Yes but that was…..' Harry trailed off. He'd never seen a spell being deflected without a wand before.

'Incredible? Amazing?' Krystal suggested with a smile.

'Bloody brilliant!' burst out Harry. Krystal grinned at him. 'Can you teach me that?' he asked eagerly.

She shook her head and laughed a little at the disappointed expression on his face.

'I was born into a legacy of extraordinary magic, Harry,' she explained. 'Many of the women from my father's bloodline have had the gift of wandless magic from an early age. It comes to me as naturally as breathing. I have been told that my particular gift is stronger than usual; I don't need a wand to cast any curse, hex or charm, although it is easier to use one for some tasks.'

Thinking how cool it would be to be able to flick his fingers and turn Draco Malfoy into a slug, Harry exclaimed, "I would love to be able to have power like that!"

Krystal's smile faded a little as she seemed to drift away for a moment. "It can be both a gift and a curse,' she said, her voice light but her eyes clouding for a moment. She blinked and seemed to refocus on him.

"With magic like this comes a lot of responsibility to use it correctly,' she said, sitting back with a slight smile. "So as fitting as it would be to see Lucius Malfoy's son turned into a slug, it wouldn't be right to abuse magic in that way.'

Harry looked at her in surprise. How had she known what he was thinking? She laughed at his shock.

'I am also a natural Occlumens, I've been hearing people's thoughts since I was a child. I've learnt to block it out; I respect people's privacy," she said hastily as a look of horror spread across Harry's face.

'Although it has often come in handy,' she muttered under her breath, chuckling a little at his expression.

It had been a boost to her self esteem to overhear him admiring her ass earlier. It had been a long time since she was around anyone, let alone a male and it was nice to hear compliments again - even if they were from the teenage son of her former best friend.

Harry, distracted by trying to remember what thoughts he'd had about her that were either not particularly nice or far too appreciative, glanced at her. Her whole face transformed when she laughed. She lost the tense look she wore and her face softened, making her look younger. Her eyes twinkled and colour rose in her cheeks. Suddenly, she was beautiful, and it hit him. He _had_ seen her before.

"Hey, you're in a photo with my mum and dad," he said moving to his rucksack to pull out the picture. He quickly found a younger Krystal in a group shot of his parent's Hogwarts graduation. She was standing in the middle of the group, between Lupin and Sirius, behind James and Lily, her arms around the men's waists. The teenaged Krystal was laughing as Sirius turned to kiss her cheek, but was playfully defended by Lupin, who smiled as he gave Sirius a shove on the shoulder.

"That is you, isn't it?" he said showing the photo to Krystal. She looked at the photo, recognising it as one she'd taken. Albus had asked her years ago if he could take some of her old photos to give to Harry. She turned away, unable to look at their happy faces without wanting to cry for all that had happened.

Harry noticed that as Krystal looked at the photo, her face paled and she turned away quickly.

"Yes, that's me," she said, as she stood and walked back to the other side of the room. "We don't have a lot of time, Harry. Let's talk about how I'm going to help you." She watched as he put the photograph away. He stood and faced her.

"So, you won't be teaching me wandless magic or Occlumency?" Harry said, wondering at her change in mood.

"Oh no," said Krystal. "Unless it is a natural gift, wandless magic is difficult to master and has its limits, and the ability to see into someone's mind…"

She paused here and seemed to think for a moment. "It's a invasive gift, but one that has come in handy on occasion. I understand you've had your own experience seeing and hearing other's thoughts."

She didn't give him a chance to respond as she looked at him thoughtfully. "I'm not sure that I would discourage you from using that particular gift when you felt it necessary."

Harry looked curiously at her. "Dumbledore made me have Occlumency lessons with Snape to try and block Voldemort's thoughts. He didn't want me….."

Krystal nodded. "I'm aware of that, and believe me, in normal circumstances, you don't want to have access to the Dark Lords' mind…but things have changed. Being able to see into Voldemort's' mind: that may be of greater use than anything I can teach you."

She stared into his eyes for a few seconds, not seeming to really see him, but to be looking for something. "I know you have faced Voldemort more than once and walked away to tell the tale. That in itself is extraordinary. The connection between you and he……"

Krystal stopped talking abruptly. A gargled noise came out of her mouth and she grabbed at her throat.

Shocked, Harry ran across the room to her but by the time he reached her, the noise stopped and she let her hands drop. She was panting a little as she said "T….tongue bind hex. I did wonder if he was s….serious…."

She moved to the couch and dropped onto it, poking her tongue in and out of her mouth several times. "I guess that's something Albus didn't want me to discuss with you."

Harry sat down heavily beside her and almost growled in frustration. "Well, who can tell me about it? Dumbledore's dead - if I need to know…"

Krystal put her hand on Harry's arm. "Listen, that man was cannier than any fox. He will have made sure there's a way for you to get all the information you need, when you need it."

She noted the doubtful look Harry gave her. "Harry, he cared deeply for you. I know he made mistakes before; withheld information he should have given you, but he was a brilliant man who learnt from his errors." She squeezed his arm. " Have some faith."

Harry still looked unsure. 'Why didn't he trust me? Why can't I know everything? It's my life we're talking about here?' he said, getting angry.

Krystal stood, pacing the room. He sounded so much like her at eighteen, raging at Albus for not telling her all he should have until it was too late for her to go back.

'I do understand, Harry,' she said, pausing for a moment to smile grimly at him. 'Better than you know. But when you care about someone - it is a difficult decision to make. To tell them everything when you know it's going to change who they are. He didn't want to hurt you, to change you by giving you too much information too young, but he should have trusted you more. I told him that. I told him he should have learnt from his mistakes with me.'

Harry looked at her, his temper fading as curiosity took over. 'What did he keep from you?' he asked. She frowned, ran her hands over her face and sighed.

'Magic, powerful magic, can alter you if you allow it to. Make you capable of things you never thought possible. If you use it to do good, then it is an incredible gift, but if you choose to use it unwisely….. I didn't know that; I found out too late to stop it from beginning. If he'd told me when I was younger what I was capable of, told me exactly what he was afraid of, my life could be very different right now.'

She shook her head. She'd spent years blaming him, but now had accepted the truth. She had taken responsibility for her own actions. 'But we make our own choices, Harry. I chose my path - even after I had all the information. I could have had tried harder to stop myself. It was my own weakness, not Albus', that did this to me.'

Krystal looked at Harry. 'Sometimes it is better not to know. Not to know what kind of person you are capable of becoming.'

Harry stared at her. 'But you don't seem like a bad person, Krystal….'

She laughed, but there was no humour in her eyes. 'I've made horrible choices, done terrible things,' she said softly. Tears shone in her eyes, but she blinked them away. 'I'm not a good person, Harry. Not anymore.'


	28. Chapter 27

**Alright MoonNightLover, here we go! This is because you review and I love ya for it!**

**The Fleaks - where are you? I've posted like a hundred chappies today and no word :( Don't be mad at me for breaking them up.**

**WARNING: ANGST AHEAD!**

Chapter Twenty Seven

Harry groaned out loud as he blocked a Stunner. He had been getting attacked by Krystal for about an hour now, deflecting spells that kept coming with little or no pause. This was their third full day of lessons, and in the past three days, she'd made him throw hex after hex at her, showing him different blocking techniques, how to duel properly and some really cool spells he'd never learnt at school. Harry watched Krystal as she spun to dodge a spell he'd deflected, and promptly shot another back at him, trying to get around his shield.

She had softened over the past few days, opening up to him and letting him see a little of who she really was. He had learned more about her relationship with Dumbledore, startled to realise just how close the two were. He apologised for his blunt remarks on his first day with her, and she waved it off.

'It's fine, Harry,' she insisted. 'Albus had very definite ideas on how his plans should unfold and…' At that point, a tongue tie hex kicked in, leaving her choking on her words.

She looked inexplicably cheerful after this, puzzling Harry. But Krystal knew that if Albus had cursed that information, she was correct in her earlier assumptions: Sev had killed Albus at the old man's request. It didn't make his death much easier to accept, but at least she knew her old friend really had been loyal to Albus to the end.

Krystal also told him of a little of her childhood, but found it hard to talk about her parents and she refused to talk about Lily or Severus, both of whom she'd known before school. She shared information about her life in Australia, telling him about how different it was and how much she enjoyed living there.

'Everything is fresher; cleaner,' she said, surprising both Harry and herself with how emotional she became. 'You can actually see the stars. There's no smog, no noise, no hurry. Just space - lots of space.'

Until then, she hadn't realised how she'd come to think of her adopted country as home, and how much she missed her life there. Although at first she'd hated the quiet, she now craved it. And after so much time alone, she never felt lonely now - solitude had grown on her; changed her; made her calmer, steadier. Something that, in the past, only Remus had been able to do.

But she had steadfastly refused to discuss his parents, Sirius or Lupin, changing the subject quickly when it arose, her face tensing again.

"Harry, please,' she said, after he refused to drop the subject on his second day with her. 'I know you want to know more, but I can't…..'

Her face was distressed. 'I can't talk about it. Please. Try to understand. Some things are too….."

"Too what?' he asked, concerned that she was upset, but he pressed her, having finally broken through her silence.

She shook her head. "Some things are better left in the past, Harry."

Harry frowned, and said, "I didn't get the chance to get to know my parents, and there aren't many people left who can tell me about them."

She looked at him, her eyes narrowing. "Perhaps it's better that way. That you didn't know them. At least you don't remember how much you've lost."

Harry lost the power of speech at her words. She turned and left the house, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

When she returned an hour later, she apologised. "I'm sorry, Harry. That was an awful thing to say to you,' she said, her voice full of regret. 'I…I lost my parents when I was eighteen. They were murdered…'

She stopped, unable to continue her thought. 'I sometimes think it would be easier not to care, not to love. There's less to lose then.'

He looked at her, wondering what had made her so bitter, but understanding her confliction, having had similar thoughts in the past himself.

"Please don't ask me about them again,' she asked quietly.

Harry nodded, disturbed by her words.

Her reluctance to tell him what he wanted to know frustrated him, but his mood always altered quickly once they started lessons again. Krystal was an incredible fighter. He gained more and more respect for her as the days wore on, and he could see why Dumbledore had sent him to her. She made duelling look so simple, so graceful. She knew all about each spell she used, telling Harry all the uses and effects, as well as making sure he knew how to heal any damage caused by it, before giving him the chance to use it and become proficient. And she took training seriously; she didn't go easy on him or patronise him because of his age or inexperience.

'Being treated as an adult has its good and bad points,' thought Harry as he blocked a Body Bind hex and felt his leg cramp.

He didn't have time to stop to stretch; Krystal immediately sent another Stunner flying towards him. He'd been hit by several hexes at the beginning of the lesson and been soundly abused for his carelessness. Not one of his spells had gotten through her defences - even when, in desperation, he'd tried to catch her with her guard down. His stomach growled as he stopped her disarming him, loud enough this time for Krystal to hear.

"I'm so sorry Harry," Krystal said as she checked her watch and saw it was late afternoon. "I guess I'm still not used to having to think of anyone other than myself."

She flicked her hand and the protective 'bubble' in which they had been practicing disappeared. Krystal set up the barrier on the first day to protect her belongings after one of Harry's wayward hexes smashed a vase. She waved her hand at the couch, which they had pushed out of the way to create more space, and it slid back into place next to the rug.

"Gee, it's hot still isn't it?' she said, pulling at her t-shirt, trying to cool herself.

Harry tried not to watch as the damp shirt tightened over her breasts. For someone who was old enough to be his mother, she was inspiring very unmotherly images in his head. He brushed his sweaty hair away from his face.

'She's right though,' he thought. It was the end of June and hot and sticky.

'You did well pretty well towards the end there," Krystal commented, throwing him a can of drink as she pushed open the pantry and looked inside, her nose wrinkling.

"God, I am so sick of soup and sandwiches," she complained, slamming the door shut, then cracking open her own drink.

She turned and looked at Harry thoughtfully, as she drank. Lowering the can, the corner of her mouth turning up impishly.

"You have your dad's Invisibility Cloak, right?"

* * *

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Harry whispered fifteen minutes later as he followed Krystal down the aisle of a small grocery store.

"Shh!" she whispered back. 'No one can see you, although if you keep bellowing like that they'll be sure to hear you. I put an unplottable spell on you. They won't find you. Let's face it - this isn't the first place they're going to look."

She threw a few more boxes into the cart. "Just got to get some bread and we are done."

Krystal paid for the groceries and when she got outside, she shrunk them and put them in her pocket.

"Ok, are you ready?" she asked Harry as they prepared to Apparate. She grabbed his hand and they spun on the spot.

Harry was slowly getting used to the awful sensation of Apparition as darkness squeezed them and left them breathless. Then the stars reappeared as they arrived back at the field they had left from a short time ago.

"Let's get some food into you or you won't be fit to fight anyone, let alone Voldemort," said Krystal as Harry's stomach let out a particularly loud complaint.

He started to remove the Invisibility Cloak, but stopped when Krystal said "Leave it on until we are in the house - just to be sure."

They had nearly reached the tree line when several loud pops startled them. Krystal and Harry spun around in time to see four masked Death Eaters raise their wands. Red lights shot out at them from all sides. Harry hadn't even had time to raise his wand when Krystal stepped in front of him and threw her hands up.

A large wall of white light appeared between them and the Death Eaters; the jets of red light rebounding off it, and their attackers ducked. One Death Eater went down as his own Stunner hit him. His companions raised their wands again as the white light faded. A stream of silver light from Krystal's right hand hit one of the Death Eaters who collapsed. At the same time, she cast another protective spell with her left hand.

"Move Harry!" she said, her voice low and harsh. "Get to the house - and keep that cloak on!"

Walking carefully backwards with Harry leading Krystal, they edged into the clump of trees, closer and closer to the protection of the house. Hexes flew towards them, but bounced off the white wall of light Krystal held in front of them. She shot a Stunner at one of the two remaining Death Eaters and hit him in the face. He fell into his fellow attacker, knocking his mask and hood off.

Harry saw the white light fade while they were still a few feet from the house's protection. He turned to see Krystal staring at the remaining Death Eater. Harry looked past her to see the unmasked attacker.

"You!" he screamed, pulling his own hood away from his face and raising his wand. Severus Snape looked at him briefly, not looking at all surprised to see him, before returning his eyes to Krystal, who pushed Harry's now exposed arm down and held it, casting a Muffliato spell before turning back to Severus.

"How?" she asked him, her voice urgent, as Harry struggled against her.

"It's the name," he replied, his voice low. "Only those associated with the Order use it." Krystal's face showed a look of comprehension. Harry stopped fighting her and looked from Krystal to Snape in confusion, realising she wasn't going to hex the man.

"You'll have to leave," Snape hissed at Krystal. "I don't know how much time I can guarantee. You'll have to contact……"

Krystal nodded. "I know."

Snape looked at Harry again. 'You'll have to….' he began but Krystal shook her head.

'No,' she said, a stubborn look on her face. 'I won't. Now, where do you want it?"

Snape, his dark eyes inscrutable and fixed on Krystal again, said impatiently, "I don't care, just make it look good. And hurry; there'll be others.."

"Alright, alright," she said, irritably and raised her arm.

She sent a slash of red light across his chest. Harry watched in shock as Snape's eyes widened and he sank to his knees. Krystal made a motion as if she was going to move towards Snape, before she stopped. Harry was confused to see the look of mingled concern and distaste on her face. As Snape fell to the ground, Krystal rounded on Harry, lifting the spell.

"Go!" she yelled. They sprinted into the house and slammed the door behind them.

Tearing off his Invisibility Cloak, Harry grabbed Krystal's arm. "What the hell is going on?" he yelled.

Krystal shook him off and moved quickly to the back of the house. She raised her arm and a silver vapour appeared. It swirled and twisted until it took on the form of a small wolf.

"I am an old friend. We are at Campbell Cottage. We need help right now," she said, urgently to the Patronus.

The silver wolf looked at her, tilting its head. "Find him," whispered Krystal, her voice shaking a little.

The wolf dissolved into a fine mist, which darted away into the trees. Harry watched as it disappeared into the darkness. Krystal ran back to the front of the house and pulled the curtain aside.

"The defences will hold for now, although when they get hold of Severus….." her voice trailed off.

She let out a shaky breath as she turned to Harry.

"What now?" he said, not altogether sure he wanted to hear the answer.

"Now?" she said. "Now we wait."

* * *

Harry sat slumped against the couch and watched as Krystal paced from wall to wall, stopping occasionally to pull the shade aside and peer out the window into the night. It had been several minutes since the attack on them and the cottages' protection was still holding, despite Krystal's fears. A short time ago she'd ordered him to get his belongings together and put on his Invisibility Cloak, in case they had to leave quickly. Krystal then raced into her own bedroom and emerged a few seconds later with a knapsack and a large book.

Harry realised that she'd been packed already. Had she suspected this might happen? He looked at his watch again. Why had she been so concerned about Snape? And why hadn't Krystal tried to kill him; she'd been given the opportunity? How did he know the cottage was here? Why hadn't he attempted to kill Harry and Krystal - he was a Death Eater? He wished she hadn't cast that Muffliato spell.He had tried to ask Krystal some of the questions that were spinning around in his head, but she'd deflected them with a shake of her head and a curt "Not now Harry!"

She was growing increasingly agitated, her face pale and eyes fearful. She hadn't stopped moving since they'd gotten back to the house; pacing the room, her half buttoned robes flying out behind her as she moved quickly. Harry had wanted answers and she knew she was going to have to explain herself. Severus had wanted her to Obliviate him, but she wouldn't do it. She knew what it was like to live with holes in your life, and she refused to be the one to do that to him.

There was a flash of white light outside on the veranda. Harry jumped up, wand held high in his outstretched hand. He looked over at Krystal and was surprised to see that she was frozen, a frightened look on her face, her breathing rapid.

'Krystal?' he said. His voice seemed to break through her trance and she took a step forward, gesturing for him to stay under the cloak as she moved towards the door, hands outstretched.

She stopped a few feet from the front door and took a ragged, shaky breath, and Harry saw her eyes clench tightly closed, pain etched through her face. When she opened her eyes, she waved Harry over.

"Stay behind me. DO NOT let yourself be seen until I say it's alright, do you understand me?" she whispered fiercely, but her voice betrayed her fear.

He nodded. "What are you going to do?" asked Harry but he soon found out as she raised her hands above her head and brought them down hard, pushing them towards the door.

There was a crash and a white flash as the door was blasted off its hinges. Dust and debris flew everywhere as a jet of red light flashed from the other side of the doorway. Krystal used one hand to cast a protective spell, the stunning curse bouncing off into the wall, and the other to silently call for their visitor's wand, sending it flying into her own hand.

Everything went quiet. Krystal held her shield as the dust settled. Harry looked around her to see a dark figure standing with hands outstretched on the other side of the doorway.

"Show yourself!" Krystal demanded, taking a step back. Harry noticed her hands were shaking and the white protective light was shimmering. The dark figure stepped over the busted door and into the doorway and the white light faded.

"Remus!" said Harry with relief, recognising the tired, lined face of his former professor. As he stepped out from behind Krystal, he removed his hood.

Remus Lupin had only a moment to glance over at Harry before he was shoved back and slammed against the wall by an unseen hand, grunting at the force of the impact. At the same time, Harry felt an invisible force shove him roughly to the floor and hold him. He struggled against it, but when his eyes flicked upwards to see Krystal's hand pressing down towards him, he realised she had knocked him over onto his back and was holding him there.

As Krystal stepped forward, Harry was astonished to hear a soft curse fall from Lupin's lips. Remus' face was pale and dazed as he stared disbelievingly at Krystal.

"Krys?" Remus asked hoarsely, his voice shaking. Krystal looked pained as she pinned Remus against the wall.

"Identify yourself," she demanded, her voice shaking a little but not taking her eyes off the man in front of her.

Remus stared at her, his chest rising and falling so rapidly Harry was concerned for him. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and strained.

"I am Remus John Lupin - werewolf and Marauder. Also known as Moony,' he said, looking at Krystal as though he could not believe his eyes. 'You are Krystal O'Connor. You are a ghost."

Krystal's lip was shaking, but she shook her head. 'Not good enough,' she whispered. 'If you are Remus Lupin, you'll know what you gave me for my sixteenth birthday?'

Remus' jaw clenched before he answered, 'A crystal butterfly.'

"OK,' Krystal said, visibly trembling now. 'It's really you."

She dropped her hand and released Lupin. The man stayed pressed against the wall for a moment, then pushed himself off. Seemingly unable to tear his eyes off Krystal, though, he moved closer to her until they were standing a foot apart. Krystal held his wand out to him. Remus looked at her outstretched hand, then suddenly reached up and grasped it tight, pulling her closer to him, their bodies nearly touching.

"But is it really you?' Harry heard his former professor say quietly.

They stared at each other for a moment, then, his eyes not leaving hers, Remus moved his hands under her partially buttoned robes, and tugged her shirt out of her jeans, holding it up to reveal her stomach. His eyes flicked down and he reached out, pulling the waist band of the jeans down slightly to reveal a V shaped scar on her hip.

'How did you get that?' he asked, staring at the scar with a strange glint in his eyes. Harry saw Krystal swallow, then heard her answer in a choked voice, 'Climbing over a fence when I was nine. The palings tore through my jeans.'

A sharp exhalation coming from his lips, Remus let go of her clothes as if they had suddenly become electrified.

'It _is_ you, isn't it?' he asked, looking back up to her eyes. His hand came up to her head, and he touched her pulled back hair timidly, before both hands rose, cupping her face; running his fingers over her skin, as if checking she was solid.

'Krys,' he whispered shakily. His lips were trembling and his eyes were glistening, as if filled with tears.

Harry was confused and startled at his reaction to Krystal. She had told him she'd known Remus, but it was now clear that they had been, at least, very good friends. He saw a tear streak down Remus' cheek, before Krystal grasped his wrists, moving away from him.

It hurt Harry to look at her face. She was bone white and the agony in her eyes was raw, her face wet from her own tears. Harry looked away, feeling like he was intruding on something very private; something he shouldn't be seeing.

'Hello Remus,' she said softly, her voice shaking so much it was hard to hear her.

Krystal let go of his wrists and Remus shook his head. 'I knew it. I never really believed him,' he mumbled still unable to look away from her.

Harry looked back up to see his expression changing now: anger and hurt begin to replace the look of shock and relief on Remus' face.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked angrily. His eyes flicked down to where Harry lay, and he looked startled, as though he'd forgotten Harry was there.

"Let him up,' he said brusquely, looking back at Krystal, who also looked down at Harry, her expression changing.

Harry felt the pressure release him and as he stood, Krystal spun to face him, tearing off his Cloak. "You!" she hissed, her face flushed, but furious. "Do you still not understand what's going on here?"

Harry looked at Krystal stunned. "What?" he said. "It was only Remus……hey!" He felt his legs fly up into the air. His body twisted as he was hung upside down in the middle of the room.

He heard Remus say sharply, "Krystal, go easy. He's a kid.."

But she interrupted him. "No!" she spat at Remus. "Don't make excuses for him. You could have been anyone."

She moved closer to Harry until her face was an inch from his. "Never, NEVER, make yourself vulnerable to an unknown person, Harry. I thought we'd been through this already."

Her voice had steel running through it. "I thought you understood - this isn't a game. This isn't school. This is real. They will hurt anyone, use anyone to get to you. You have real people's lives in your hands. I won't let you make the same mistakes I did.'

From his upside down position, he saw Remus' eyes clench tightly shut at her words.

'You need to choose, Harry. If you can't do this, tell me now and we can all stop wasting our time. If you want to continue, then you must swear to NEVER disobey me again."

She glared at Harry, her eyes glowing hard and silver, ignoring Lupin's attempt to interrupt. "I'm trying to save your life Harry. But I can't do it without your cooperation. So, what's it to be?"

Harry looked into her eyes. He saw the strength and fury there, but he also saw fear. She was scared for… who? Herself? Him? His choice was easy.

"I swear I will never disobey you again" he said quietly. "I'm sorry, Krystal. It won't happen again."

He was lowered to the ground; he was half expecting her to let him drop. She looked down at him, her eyes had returned to their usual bright blue.

"It had better not," she said quietly.

She moved away as Harry stood up and returned a few seconds later with their bags and her book.

She glanced quickly at Remus, who was watching her with an inscrutable expression, then looked away as she handed Harry his bag and said "Put your cloak back on, Harry." She let out a audible breath and turned reluctantly back to Remus.

"Four Death Eaters found us; They didn't see Harry, but they fought me, and they'll be back. We aren't safe here anymore. The enchantments will fall - sooner rather than later,' she said, not allowing her eyes to meet his, her hands moving to finish buttoning her robes.

Remus frowned. "You fought all four? Are you alright?' he asked, trying to hide the concern in his gruff voice.

When she nodded at the ground, he asked, "Why are you so sure the enchantments will be breached? Anyone who knew this place is dead. Except for us.'

He stared straight at her, trying to hide the irritation he felt when she wouldn't look at him.

"I am certain they will fall tonight. We just need somewhere safe to spend the night: I can figure something else out tomorrow,' she said, sidestepping his question.

'Will you look at me?' he suddenly demanded loudly, reaching the end of his tolerance. Krystal looked up, startled, and Harry also jumped, having never heard Lupin raise his voice before.

Her face was strained when she spoke. "I'm sorry, Remus. You were never supposed to know that I..….' She paused and bit her lip.

'I know this must be hard for you to accept. But I had to contact you. If I'd had any other choice…..."

He nodded and interrupted her, saying resentfully, "Yeah, I know. If you'd had any other choice, I'd still be wondering……' He stopped talking abruptly.

Krystal opened her mouth, but he said roughly, "Your timing really sucks, Krystal. Come on then, we'd better go. Get that Cloak on, Harry,' he ordered sharply.

Harry flung the cloak around his shoulders, confused by the adults' tense and bitter exchange.

He watched Lupin look around the cottage, his face creasing with pain. After a quick glance at Krystal, he swallowed hard and stretched out his arm, telling them, "Hold on.'

Harry grasped it quickly; Krystal hesitated, then grasped Harry's wrist.

Harry saw Remus shoot her a look, a mixture of annoyance and hurt, before he muttered, 'For God's sake, Krystal,' and turned on the spot, spinning them out of the room.


	29. Chapter 28

**Thanks to MoonNightLover for lovely reviews.**

Chapter Twenty Eight

Harry spun through the darkness, his chest burning as he fought for breath.

'If I never apparate again, that's fine with me', he thought as his feet hit the ground.

The spinning stopped and he felt himself bump hard against someone as he tried to regained his balance. Harry opened his eyes to see Krystal bounce off Remus and fall to the ground.

"Sorry, Krystal,' he said as Remus bent and took Krystal's elbow, hauling her to her feet.

Looking around, Harry thought he recognised the area they had apparated to.

"Quickly!' Remus whispered as, wand out, he looked around.

The older man let his hand slide from Krystal's elbow to her hand as he pulled her forward: Harry following closely. She gasped and Harry grinned as, after several paces, a lopsided house appeared before them.

"Where are we?" Krystal asked, alarmed at the sight of the strange house.

"The Burrow," answered both Harry and Remus.

Krystal looked at them apprehensively, her eyes widening. "The what?" she said, now with a slightly panicked look on her face.

Harry had no time to answer her as Remus knocked at the front door, glancing back at Krystal, dropping her hand quickly once he realised he was still holding it.

A crack of light appeared as the door opened and a female voice demanded, "Identify yourself."

"It is I, Remus Lupin returning with a surprise guest," Lupin said, smiling for the first time as he looked at Harry. The door was opened cautiously at first, then flung wide open when Harry came into sight.

"Harry!" Molly Weasley screamed, pulling him inside the house and hugging him hard. "We didn't expect you for weeks yet!"

He was half dragged into a room full of what seemed like a dozen red haired Weasleys, who clapped his shoulders, and a bushy haired girl, who threw herself at Harry with a squeal. Everyone was talking at once, throwing question after question at Harry, who was looking pleased but a little overwhelmed. Krystal was reluctant to intrude but Remus pushed at her back, herding her into the house. The excited voices faded as they saw the stranger in their midst, and Remus looked at Harry.

'Care to make the introductions, Harry?' he said, his voice mild, but his face was strained.

Harry looked at Krystal, who was looking decidedly uncomfortable.

'This is Krystal. Krystal O'Connor,' he said, not seeing Bill Weasleys' look of stunned comprehension as he looked over at Remus, who nodded grimly at him. 'She's a member of the Order. I've been staying with her.'

There was a flurry of greetings and hand shaking, and Harry introduced each person. There were really only five Weasley's, but Krystal forgot most of their names straight away. She recognised the boy, Ron, and the brown haired girl was Hermione; Harry's friends. Hermione fixed a curious, questioning gaze on the other woman as they were introduced, her eyes sliding to Remus, taking in his tense face. Harry's own face tensed a little as he introduced Ginny, his ex girlfriend.

Mrs Weasley, hearing they hadn't yet eaten, overrode Krystal's objections that she was fine, and insisted that they sit down while she fixed them something to eat. She ordered Ron and Ginny to make up some beds for the two unexpected guests, again refusing to listen to Krystal's assertions that she would make other arrangements for herself. Krystal wasn't used to being around so many people, and felt a heightening sense of alarm about staying. She automatically looked at Remus for support, but he shrugged unhelpfully, saying in a flat tone, "It's getting late. You should stay."

Harry looked as anxious as Krystal as Molly led her into the kitchen. He wanted some answers about tonight, she knew. And not just about the Death Eater attack.

"Tomorrow," she mouthed, shrugging as she disappeared through the door.

Harry turned to Hermione, who had watched their exchange, and frowned, trying not to show his impatience.

"Well,' said Hermione, as Mr Weasley followed the adults into the kitchen. "Tell me everything."

* * *

Molly seated Krystal in the kitchen, where they were soon joined by Remus, Arthur and Bill, who'd pulled Remus aside in the hall.

'Are you sure it's her?' he said urgently, looking into the kitchen at Krystal.

Remus nodded. 'I checked. It's her,' he confirmed, his voice pained.

'Are you alright?' Bill asked, seeing the ill disguised distress on Remus' face.

The older man shook his head and said, 'I don't know yet,' as they entered the room, sitting down at the kitchen table.

"We didn't know what to think when we received your message," Arthur said looking at Krystal. "We thought we knew everyone in the Order. Luckily Remus was here and recognised your Patronus - a wolf was it?"

This last question was asked with a casual tone that sounded forced. The Weasley's were curious about her.

"The message was sent to Remus - not The Burrow; she would have found him no matter where he was,' she said quietly.

"Yes, she's a wolf," she added, looking at Arthur, colouring as she felt Remus fidget a little in the seat next to her.

"What happened?" Molly said, as Arthur looked shrewdly from Krystal to Remus. "No one in the Order knew Harry was being moved this soon. Remus, you said you were checking on him…"

"Albus' orders," interrupted Remus. "He let me know before he died that Harry would be spending some time with a member of the Order before coming here. It wasn't meant to be public knowledge, Molly.'

'And what if something had happened to you?' the woman demanded, crossly. 'None of us would have known…..'

'Then Krystal would have looked after him,' he said, his voice rising a little. 'She had instructions to ensure Harry apparated them here before Bill's wedding.'

'She didn't do a very good job of looking after him though, did she?' Molly retorted.

Krystal felt her temper rising, but Remus beat her to it.

'Molly!' Remus said sharply. 'She fought off four Death Eaters by herself tonight trying to protect Harry…..'

'And what would have happened to Harry if she had been killed?' Molly demanded, stopping in surprise when Remus stood abruptly, pain evident on his face.

'Harry's fine, Molly,' he snapped, unable to stop the anger he'd been trying to suppress showing in his voice. 'Stop treating him like a child.'

The two of them glared at each other for a moment, then Remus closed his eyes and sank back into his chair.

'I'm sorry, Molly,' he said, running a hand over his eyes. 'It's been a long day.' He looked at Krystal who quickly looked away from him.

'I knew he was safe, it didn't matter where," he explained, seeing the still annoyed look on Molly's face.

'But he wasn't safe, was he?' retorted the woman, glaring at him, then turning on Krystal, who was watching her thumb as it tapped nervously on the table, steadfastly avoiding looking at Remus.

'What happened out there?' she demanded crossly, and Krystal's fingers stilled as she looked up.

"We were attacked just outside my house," said Krystal. "We went to get food and the Death Eaters tracked us. Harry had his Cloak on; they didn't see him, and I managed to fight them off, but the house isn't safe now. Did you know they are using You Know Who's name as a trace to track down Order members?" She directed the question to the room at large.

"No!' said Bill, with a frown, looking at a startled Remus. "We wondered how they always seem to know where we are."

Alarmed, Arthur stood up. "I'll send a message out to let everyone know."

He left the room as Molly placed a bowl of stew in front of Krystal.

"You fought off four Death Eater's by yourself?" she asked, looking closely at her. Remus breathed deeply, trying not to think about what could have happened tonight to her and Harry.

Krystal looked up at her, not knowing what to say so she nodded. Molly hesitated for a moment then smiled, and gestured towards the bowl.

"Eat up," she said, a little more kindly now. "You look peaky." She patted Krystal's back and before taking another bowl through to Harry.

Bill had been watching Remus. He stood now, and stretched. 'Well, I'm off to bed. Night, Remus, Krystal.'

As Krystal murmured, 'Goodnight', he gave Remus a smile and left the room, putting his hand briefly on his friends' shoulder.

Krystal stared at her food as she felt Remus' eyes move to look at her. The aftermath of the fight at her house and the conflicting emotions she felt about seeing him again, seemed to hit her all at once and her hand shook as she tried to pick up her fork. She put it down again, closing her eyes, trying to centre herself. Remus saw her distress.

"It wasn't your fault. No one knew they could trace us that way." His voice was gruff but kind.

Krystal didn't think she could stand Remus being nice to her; she tried to distract herself with the stew again. She managed to pick up some food with her fork, but her hand was now shaking too violently to get the food to her mouth. She made a disgusted noise and threw her fork into the bowl. Rubbing her forehead hard with her hand, she tried to not notice his gaze on her.

"You should eat,' he said quietly. "Molly will be insulted if you turn down her food."

He gave her a small smile as she looked up at him, but it soon faded as he saw her face properly in the lamp light. She was pale and dark marks ringed her eyes. Her shaking had increased, and her breath seemed to be coming quicker.

"You need to eat something," he repeated, his concern now evident in his voice. He recognised the signs of exhaustion and stress. Sometimes, after their practices ran too long at school, she'd become shaky and pale, having pushed her body and mind too far. He knew how proud she could be: she would not try the stew again, not while he was here to see her tremors.

He stood and walked over to the kitchen bench, rummaging through the cupboard. He found a loaf of bread and tore off a chunk. He handed it to her, "Please?"

The plea came softly. She took it, and murmured a quiet 'Thanks,' nibbling at the bread. The simple food tasted wonderful and she took a larger bite. Remus felt some tension leave him and he sat back down. He remembered how much energy she expended using wandless magic, and knew that today's events combined with the lack of food, would have left her with very little in reserve.

'She's still beautiful.'

The thought rose unbidden into his mind as he watched her devour the bread. She looked tired, worn out, and she had an air of sadness about her, but time had been kinder to her than it had to him, he thought, wondering for a second whether she'd noticed how much older he looked.

He shook his head and looked away. He shouldn't be thinking this way about her; he was engaged now - to be married in just over a week. But he couldn't ignore the jolt of electricity that had run through him when he'd touched Krystal earlier. He flexed his hand under the table. It still tingled where her hand had touched his.

He closed his eyes against the feeling. Images swam behind his closed lids and he tried to push them away. He tried hard to forget the sight and feel of her bare skin tonight as he revealed her scar as proof of her identity. Clenching his eyes tighter, he forbid his mind to remember how that skin on her hip used to feel under his fingers; how it tasted on his lips. He felt his body stir and, as he sat next to her, breathing in the all too familiar scent of her, his chest ached; flashes of the memories he'd spent years trying to forget forced their way back into his head. The good; and the bad.

Unable to stand being so close to her anymore, he stood abruptly, nearly sending his chair flying. "I should go," he said, shortly as she looked up from her food, startled by his sudden movement. "You and Harry will be safe here tonight."

She stood as well and looked at him, swallowing her mouthful of bread.

"Remus…" she began tremulously, but he cut her off.

"No. I can't talk to you. Not yet. Just…..let me get my head around this, Krystal."

He looked at her, his eyes filling with pain, the lines in his face deepening. She was standing so close to him, and involuntarily, he reached out a hand and touched her face. His touch was light at first, then firmer as his hand moved around her neck under her ponytail, his thumb running over her jaw.

'I can't believe you're real,' he whispered as his other hand also touched her, cupping her face. His touch was hot, and her eyes closed for an instant as her pulse quickened. 'I can't believe you're here.'

Her eyes opened and she saw his eyes move to her lips.

Molly hurried back into the room, but stopped in her tracks when she saw them. "Oh, sorry. I was just…."

Remus' hands dropped and he moved towards the door. "I was just leaving. Thank you for dinner, Molly."

He gave the woman a quick hug, and Krystal stepped forward.

"Thank you, Remus," she said. His closed mouth smile was a little forced as he turned to leave the room.

"Remus." He turned and looked back at her. "Congratulations - on your engagement." He was startled: how had she known about him and Tonks?

She gave him a small smile, but was unable to hide the sadness in her eyes as she said, "She's a lucky woman."

Remus looked at her and found himself unable to respond; he was suddenly awash with a feeling of loss. He nodded to her and left the room, not seeing Krystal sink back into her chair, and put her head in her hands.

Molly watched Remus leave, then her gaze moved to Krystal, who was trying desperately not to allow the older woman to see her cry.

'Krystal?' she said gently, guessing the nature of her and Remus' previous relationship. Krystal swallowed hard, blinking fast as she raised her head.

'This looks great, Molly,' she said, forcing herself to talk in a bright tone. She picked up the fork and forced some stew into her mouth. 'Thank you.'

Remus shut the front door behind him and breathed in the cool, fresh air. Merlin! After all these years; after everything that had happened; she was still capable of taking his breath away; of making him weak at the knees. Shaking his head, he cursed under his breath; at her for still making him feel like no one else ever could, and at himself for letting her do it. He strode angrily through the barriers that protected the house, and disapparated.

* * *

Harry awoke the next day to a loud bang and bright sunlight. "What…..?" he grunted as he sat up and fumbled for his glasses. He opened his eyes and, as they adjusted to the light, he saw Krystal standing next to his bed.

"Breakfast," she said. "Then you and your friends have work to do."

She grasped his sheets and ripped them off him. He squawked a little, trying to cover his boxer clad body as laughing, Krystal turned and left the room. Harry groaned and threw himself back down into his pillows.

He turned his head to look at Ron, who was sitting up in the bed next to his, scratching his head as he blurted out, "What the bloody hell was that?"

Krystal yawned as she walked back downstairs. She had slept fitfully on the couch (despite Molly's insistence that she take her twins' old room), rising frequently to check the enchantments surrounding the house were secure. She had eaten early, before any of the others were awake, having made a decision.

She couldn't go back to her house, so they would have to accept Molly's invitation to stay at The Burrow, and continue Harry's lessons here. His friends could join in - it would be useful for them to know all of this as well. Krystal frowned as she thought about how crowded the house was already; she planned on making herself scarce as much as possible. She wasn't used to being around people; she'd spent too many years alone. Krystal shook her head as she remembered making uncomfortable small talk with Arthur and Molly Weasley last night after Remus had left.

She sighed. It hadn't been just her concern about their safety keeping her awake last night. Seeing Remus again yesterday…… She had known from the moment the Death Eaters appeared that it was going to have to happen, and she had thought she was prepared; that enough time had passed for the old feelings to have diluted. Krystal shivered as she recalled the rush of emotions she had felt at the sight of him; not to mention the physical effect he'd had on her. She rubbed her hands together, unconsciously creating a fine white mist.

She'd been so shaken that she'd been unable to hold her shield charm when she saw him last night, and when he'd touched her, she'd felt the shock of electricity run through her. He looked older than she knew he was, but he was still just…perfect, still more than capable of making her pulse race. She still felt the burn of his eyes on her as she had proven her identity last night; she had seen the familiar glint of desire as he looked at her scar before he extinguished it. His deep blue eyes made her feel weak when he looked at her, just as they always had.

She shook her head and rubbed her hand over her face roughly, trying to force herself to forget her feelings. As she closed her eyes, she saw again the expression on his face when he'd seen her last night. He'd looked so distraught, so angry with her. Not that she could blame him, but it hurt her to see what she had done to him. Both emotionally and physically. She knew that she had given him one of those scars she'd seen across his face.

"Stop it!" she told herself as she entered the kitchen.

"Sorry, dear?" said Molly looking up as Krystal came into the room.

"Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself," Krystal stammered, embarrassed at being caught. "Can I help you with breakfast, Molly?" she said quickly, wanting a change of subject.

Molly shook her head as Ginny and Hermione walked into the room.

"No, thank you," she said, moving closer to Krystal. "I think you are needed on the porch." She gestured to the kitchen door. "The girls can help with breakfast."

Krystal heard Ginny groan and complain as she walked through the front door and straight into the chest of Remus Lupin.

He grabbed her arms to steady her as her hands found his shoulders.

"Sorry," she gasped, feeling her knees threaten to give way at his touch.

"It's fine,' he replied, a little breathlessly as his knuckles brushed the side of her breasts, feeling the soft flesh through her jacket.

For a moment, they remained that way, staring at each other. Then, as though they'd choreographed it, she removed her hands, crossing her arms over her chest quickly; and he let go of her arms as though he had been burnt, his now flushed face giving away his unease.

She stepped back and stood on Harry's foot. He had come up behind her without her noticing.

"Oh, sorry Harry," she said, turning and looking at him. He was looking from her to Remus with a slight frown on his face, and she could see he'd noticed the tension between them.

'That alright,' he said. 'Morning, Remus.' The older man smiled at him, a little distractedly.

"Good morning, Harry. Listen, I need a private word with Krystal. Why don't you go on and have your breakfast," Remus said.

Harry looked at Krystal, who shrugged and said, "Go on, you'll need your energy today." He turned and walked back into the kitchen.

She was slightly surprised he'd given in without question. He really was taking his promise to obey her seriously. Krystal watched him go, half wanting to call him back so she didn't have to be alone with Remus.

"The cottage was broken in to after we left last night."

The shock of these words spun her around. She looked into his face to confirm what she thought she'd heard him say.

"Damn!" she swore softly, sinking down onto the wooden bench next to the door.

"I'm sorry, Krys," Remus said gently, unthinkingly using her nickname as he sat down next to her. "I checked early this morning. There isn't much left.'

She nodded, letting him know she understood. They sat there silently for a few minutes. She felt the sting behind her eyelids and passed a hand across her eyes, trying to stop the tears she didn't want Remus to see. There had been nothing expensive in the house, but many small things had belonged to her parents, and some she and Remus had bought together, and for that reason were irreplaceable. There were a lot of memories in that house as well, and she hated the thought that Death Eaters had been in there. She heard Remus clear his throat awkwardly.

"It's fine,' she said, her voice low. 'It's all just stuff, I suppose.'

Remus stood up and moved over to the edge of the porch, looking out over the Weasley's garden. It was taking all his self control to not reach out and hold her as she struggled to hide her reaction to losing her possessions. He'd recognised some of the things in the house as her parent's; some as things they'd bought together.

He sighed. It had been difficult to return to that house this morning - it held a lot of memories for him and they'd come flooding back when he'd walked through the door.

He didn't look at her as he spoke. "The enchantments had not been broken; they were lowered," he said carefully. "Whoever got in had to know…"

"Severus," she mumbled, closing her eyes as she imagined her meagre belongings being smashed and broken by the Death Eaters. Then, realising Remus had not said anything, she opened her eyes to find him staring at her, disbelievingly.

"Snape? You told him where you were? Krystal, why would you do that? You know what he is."

She interrupted him. "He has been a Secret Keeper ever since I came back…."

She stopped when Remus' face changed from disbelieving to angry.

"He knew you weren't dead? Did he know where you were all this time? You told _him_?' he said, incredulously.

'Severus helped me leave…' she began, but he interrupted.

'And you took Harry to the cottage knowing a Death Eater could just walk in?' he said, his voice rising. Krystal frowned.

"I wouldn't put Harry in danger, Remus. Sev has never given me away," she said defiantly, standing as her voice also gained volume. "He wouldn't have last night either; not unless he had no choice."

Remus made a frustrated noise in his throat, as he felt a sudden rush of fury. "You're defending him? Still? He killed Dumbledore, but you…" He threw up his hands as he turned and strode down the porch stairs.

Her own temper flaring, she followed him. "Don't walk away from me!" she said angrily.

He spun around on his heel and stormed quickly back towards her.

"No, that's your specialty, isn't it? Running away. No explanations. No good bye. Not even a backward glance!" he spat the words at her, bitterness and resentment evident in his tone.

She took a step back: she'd never heard him speak like that to anyone - let alone her. The venom in his words caused her physical pain; all the worse for knowing she had caused this. She took a deep breath. She couldn't worry about his feelings or hers right now; she needed to make him understand.

"Sev had the chance to kill us yesterday," she said urgently. "But he didn't. He warned….." She felt her tongue roll up, almost choking her as a Tongue Tie Hex came into effect.

Remus, alarmed by her involuntary choking noise seized her arms. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"I…I'm alright," she choked out as the spell released her. "Tongue Tie H..hex."

Remus slowly let go of his hold on her arms. She looked into his eyes, needing him to know she was sincere. "There's so much I wish I could tell you about Severus, but I can't. All I can say is that I know he wouldn't hurt me, not if there was any way to avoid it."

She saw the sceptical look that he gave her was tinged with frustration. She knew how he felt, how he'd always felt. "I've tried to tell you before, Remus, he's not the man you think he is."

Remus shook his head. "Let's just drop it, alright?' he said, putting his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "I don't want to get into this argument again."

Krystal nodded, and after a moment's silence spoke. "Albus arranged for me to collect Harry because he needs me to teach him to fight; nothing else is as important as that." She shoved her hands deep into her jeans pockets, resisting the urge to reach out for him. She couldn't look him in the eye.

"I have no right to ask you to help me or to trust anything I say, but…I have to do this for Harry, and I need to be somewhere safe to do it. I can't go back to the cottage…"

He raised his hand to stop her talking. He stared at her for a moment then said, 'Albus knew where you were then? He's kept in contact since you left?'

She nodded and he felt a rush of resentment for the deceased man.

Looking away from her again, he tried to control his anger. 'How long have you been staying at the cottage?' he asked.

'Nearly two years,' she answered, seeing his eyes close as he shook his head.

'You were there all that time? All I had to do was visit the house…..' She heard the despair in his voice and swallowed hard against her own sorrow.

"I should take Harry and go, Remus,' she said softly. 'This isn't going to work."

He shook his head. "No. Harry will be happier here with his friends, and you…you need to help him. Albus was right about that - you're the best person to teach him what he needs to know. It's fine. I'm fine."

She shook her head, and stared at him in disbelief. 'You can't be serious, Remus. How can you possibly be fine with this?' she asked, frustrated by his insistence to see the best in everyone - even when they didn't deserve it.

"I can't believe that after all I've done, you can still try to get along with me, to be civil to me. How can you do this, Remus? You must hate me. Why the hell aren't you yelling at me and telling everyone what a despicable person I am?"

"I don't know!" he exclaimed, shouting over her. "I don't know,' he repeated in a quieter voice. His face contorted as he tried to explain his mixed emotions.

"You just appeared, Krys, out of nowhere. I don't know whether to be happy you're alive, or furious that you've come back just when I've started to get on with my life; when I've finally…..'

He stopped, his eyes despairing. "I don't hate you; I've never hated you. God knows, my life might have been easier if I did. I don't know how I feel, and until I get my head on straight, I can't do this with you."

He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. He bit his lip as he stared at her, finally saying in a near whisper, "We never really ended, did we?"

Her jaw clenched, and she looked at him through eyes that couldn't hide their sorrow.

"Yes we did,' she said quietly, as she backed away from him. "I made sure of that."

He watched as she turned and walked away.


	30. Chapter 29

**Fair bit of dialouge in this cappie so I cut it in half - posting 29B straight away, don't worry.**

Chapter Twenty Nine

Harry's eyes followed Lupin as he walked slowly back to the house. He moved away from the window, as did Ron and Hermione. They had seen the emotional exchange between Krystal and Remus and watched as Krystal moved out of sight. They had been shocked to see the fury and resentment on Remus' face; to hear his raised voice - none of them having ever seen him angry before. Harry decided not to pretend he hadn't seen what had happened. He was too hungry for some answers; and if Krystal wasn't here to give them, maybe Lupin could - there was obviously history there.

He opened the front door for Lupin, just as the other man reached for the knob. Remus looked startled for a moment, and then read Harry's face correctly.

"You saw that," he said flatly, not bothering to make his words a question as he stepped into the hall. Harry nodded anyway.

"I want to know what's going on…..," he began, but Remus interrupted.

"I know, but Harry, I really don't know anything that you don't - perhaps less, in fact." He looked at Ron and Hermione, who were standing in the kitchen doorway.

He sat down in a chair and looked at them, his face resigned. "What exactly do you want to know?"

Harry opened his mouth to ask about Snape's behaviour last night, but Hermione beat him to it.

"You don't have to answer this if it's too personal," she began "but, how do you and Krystal know each other? I mean, Harry told us you went to school together, and that she's in the Order but…."

Her voice trailed off. There was just no tactful way to ask about their former professors' private relationships.

"But her name has never been mentioned, and you'd have to be as thick as a troll not to have noticed that there is some tension between us?' he said, anticipating her next words. He looked at the trio of teenagers for several seconds, a frown on his face.

'I suppose that is as good a place to start as any," he said. 'You'd probably figure it out eventually.'

With a sigh, he stood up and turned to face the kitchen windows. He began to speak as he had his back to them.

"Krystal and I were in the same year at school; both in Gryffindor." He turned to look at Harry. "She was best friends with your mum, Harry.'

The teenager looked startled; Krystal hadn't hinted that her and his mum were that close.

'They lived near each other and were playmates long before they both found out they were witches. In our first year at Hogwarts, we all became friends, but Krystal and I……."

Remus closed his eyes and let out a shaking breath as he turned away again.

"From that very first night, we were drawn together. We both had secrets, and I think we sensed that about each other. We…just fit. Each of us seemed to have something the other lacked. Krystal…' He paused, a small smile flitting across his lips.

'Krystal was hyper. She was always happy, smiling and always bouncing around. No matter how hard she tried, she could never stay still. Not even in her sleep - it drove me insane at first,' he said with a small laugh, not realising how much he'd just given away about their relationship.

'Krystal needed some calm, some stillness to centre her. And, well, you know about me, and my problem. I needed some light; some laughter in my life. We gave each other what we needed. Lily used to say we were like fire and water - complete opposites, but we balanced each other perfectly. I could control her fire and she…bought warmth into my world. "

Harry could hear the unmistakable sadness in Remus' voice before he paused.

'We were good friends until Sixth Year. Things changed then, and we….we became more than friends.' He flushed and turned back to them.

He sat back down in his chair, fiddling uncomfortably with the spoon that lay in front of him, as his chest began to hurt. "We began to go out together in Sixth Year, and when we finished school, we moved in together - to Campbell Cottage. It was our home.'

His voice had become raspy and he coughed a little to clear it. "We were planning a future together. We were going to …"

A wave of sadness hit him, robbing him of his breath. He couldn't finish his sentence; couldn't tell them how very much he'd wanted to marry her.

Remus threw the spoon he was holding onto the table and stood again. It was too difficult talking about the plans he and Krystal had made for their life. Plans that were destroyed in one night. He began to pace up and down the kitchen.

'Obviously," he continued, 'Things changed.'

"What hap……," began Hermione.

"No." Lupin said firmly, looking directly at them.

Harry could see the pain in his eyes; hear it in his voice as he said, "That is enough. I can't..….That is not my story to tell. And please, all of you, do not ask Krystal about this. If she wants to tell you, she will. _But do not press her_."

Harry and the others looked taken aback by his intensity. He took a breath and tried to explain himself.

"There is a lot you don't know about what's happened in the past. A lot I don't know about _why_ it happened. She wasn't always this way. Things happened, and changed her.'

He looked miserable as he added, 'Changed all of us. She may seem hard, but Krystal is a very…damaged person on the inside and the way it ended..….," he paused as he tried to find the right words.

"It is not a happy memory - for either of us," he said finally, turning away from them, but not in time to hide the distress on his face. "Excuse me, please. I just…..need some air."

* * *

Harry looked at Hermione as he heard Lupin's steps on the porch. "Why did you want to know about them?" he asked, a bit impatiently.

Although he was interested in hearing about Krystal, he'd wanted to know about the interactions between her and Snape not her and Remus. Hermione looked back at Harry, a frown on her face.

"I know you wanted to know about Snape, Harry, but Lupin doesn't know anything. He said it himself. You said Krystal was going to be teaching us; Lupin knows her. The way they acted together last night…..I thought there might be something more, and I was right" She shrugged.

"Well, now you know! It doesn't really matter…." said Ron, glaring at Hermione as she cut him off.

"Of course it matters. Don't you want to know more about this woman who has appeared out of nowhere and that no one wants to talk about?"

Harry frowned: Hermione had a point. Krystal had opened up a little to him at her house, but he still didn't know a whole lot about her, and she'd been particularly closed mouthed about her relationship with his parents, Sirius and Lupin.

But Ron said, "So Lupin doesn't want to discuss his love life with us; not really surprising is it? They had a nasty break up; that doesn't mean that there is anything mysterious going on."

But Harry thought Hermione might be onto something - he remembered the older man's behaviour last night at Campbell Cottage; his anger outside earlier. Hermione's voice broke into his thoughts.

"Lupin is acting really strangely, Ron. Harry said he couldn't take his eyes off Krystal last night, and he's been really snappy and moody ever since he got the Patronus…."

Harry interrupted her, a question rising in his mind. "How did he react when he got the Patronus? He looked really stunned to see her at the cottage…'

Hermione looked at Ron, who shrugged a shoulder. "Well,' he admitted, reluctantly. "He went a bit pale and sick looking actually. He just stared at it, then sat there once it disappeared - looked like he'd just seen a ghost or something. It had gone straight up to him, put its front paws up on his knee and licked at his hand. Mum and Dad were asking him who it was from, but he ignored them and raced off."

Harry looked over at Hermione. "When he saw Krystal last night, he called her a ghost,' he remembered with a frown. 'And he cursed when he saw her. I've never heard Lupin curse before. He was upset, almost crying, but then he got really angry with her."

"He practically begged us just now not to ask Krystal about their past,' Hermione said, earnestly. "What could have possibly happened that was that bad? Why did they break up when it sounds like they were really in love - they were together for two years; they were living together?"

Ron shook his head, saying, "It was all a long time ago, Hermione. Lupin's engaged to Tonks now - obviously he got on with his life."

Hermione looked at Ron with a pitying expression. "Sometimes it's not that simple, Ron," she said quietly. 'Remus and Tonks only just started seeing each other; they're getting married really quickly. Have you ever heard about him dating anyone else before her? It must have been at least seventeen years since he and Krystal were together. Why has it taken him this long to move on?'

"How do you know it's been seventeen years?' said Harry, racking his brain to remember if Krystal or Remus had mentioned that.

"Because if she and your mum were best friends, wouldn't she have been your godmother, Harry? Whatever went wrong, it must have happened before you were born."

Harry couldn't help but be impressed by Hermione's logic, and shook his head at his own lack of common sense.

"Krystal did say she and my mum fell out before I was born,' he said, thoughtfully. "You think he's still, you know, got feelings for her?' Harry asked, an image of Krystal and Remus on the porch this morning entering his mind.

They had pulled away from each other like they'd been electrocuted, but the looks on their faces before they did……

"But Tonks…,' Ron began. Hermione shook her head violently, her bushy hair whipping Harry across his face.

"Remus wouldn't have gotten engaged to Tonks if he didn't think he loved her, Ron. But, you both saw his face just then when he talked about Krystal. He was really hurting - even though it was so long ago. And although he still seems angry with her, he was trying to protect her by asking us not to talk to her about it.' She paused for a moment. "Something bad must have happened between them."

They fell quiet when they heard footsteps on the front porch. A few seconds later Remus walked in, trailed by Krystal. Remus, looking a little grey still, sat at the table next to Harry, while Krystal leant against the counter where Lupin had stood five minutes ago.

"Remus tells me you need some answers, Harry." Harry nodded, seeing the nervous tension in her face. "Alright then, I'll tell you what I can. My tongue may tie itself into knots occasionally," she frowned. "Albus seems to have very definite ideas on what I should tell you all."

She looked back at Harry and sat in the chair opposite him.

"Albus and I had been in regular contact throughout the years, although he wrote a lot more often once you began at Hogwarts, Harry. He bragged about you as if you were his own." A corner of her mouth turned up a little for a moment.

"After you saw You Know Who return in your Fourth Year, Albus asked me to return to the country and join the Order. I had been living in Australia for a number of years," she said, seeing both Hermione and Remus' mouths' open and anticipating their question.

'How long?' broke in Harry, with a quick glance at Hermione.

'Eighteen years,' Krystal replied, with a frown. Her tone was almost surprised, as if she couldn't believe it had been that long.

Harry saw Lupin's face tighten, before the older man reached up to rub at his forehead, hiding his expression.

"We began to put together a plan to help you get through the coming battle,' Krystal continued. 'Albus had a theory in regards to how the Dark Lord survived the killing spell that rebounded off you when you were a baby, Harry. I know he has shared that with you, and that you are not supposed to discuss it."

She glanced at Lupin, who was watching her now and listening intently.

"I know of the task, Harry," she said carefully, "but, as I've told you, I cannot go with you. I can offer suggestions and help in a tight spot, but that's all." She looked at his face and saw his renewed disappointment.

"Harry, I really only know as much as you do. If I was to come with you, I could only be of use to help you fight. Which brings me to the next part of our plan."

She stood and began to pace. "Albus asked me to collect you early from your Aunt's house. We were supposed to work together for weeks before you met up with your friends. No one else knew of this plan - as far as they knew you were at a safe house. Remus…."

Her voice drifted off as she gestured to Lupin, who turned to Harry and spoke quietly, but with unmistakable resentment.

"Dumbledore left me a letter explaining that you would be going to stay with an old friend of his - a foreign Order member - and that I was to let the rest of the Order know you were fine. He didn't tell me who the 'old friend' was; I didn't know that until I got the Patronus last night - no mistaking who that belonged to."

He looked at Krystal. "Although I won't say that it wasn't a shock, given the circumstances,' he added.

Harry looked at Lupin. "It was you he told?' he asked. Remus nodded, but it was Krystal that responded.

"Albus knew that Remus was the only person who would recognise my Patronus," Krystal explained, now positive that was why Albus had insisted on Remus being her contact. He thought it was time for them to get closure.

Remus' mind suddenly recalled the puzzling words in Albus' letter. A plea for understanding and forgiveness that he hadn't understood at the time, but that now made sense. Albus had done all he could to facilitate a reunion between he and Krystal - a chance for Remus to finally get some answers.

'He set us up,' he whispered, Krystal looking over at his almost unheard words. He looked up at her and saw confirmation in her face.

'Yes, I believe he did,' she replied, blinking rapidly for a second then continued, turning back to the confused trio of teenagers.

"Dumbledore knew that the task he'd set for you was dangerous, Harry, and that he didn't have time to tell you all you needed to know. I believe he knew he only had a short….."

Krystal stopped as the Tongue Tie curse swung into action. The others watched as it ran its course and then released her.

Before she could speak again, Remus spoke up quietly as he realised another puzzle had been solved.

'It was you in the forest at his funeral, wasn't it?'

Krystal turned to him and nodded.

'I almost caught you, didn't I?' he asked, looking at her closely. 'I could still smell your shampoo when I got there.'

'I didn't leave,' she said, her face remorseful as she moved closer to him. 'I didn't have time. I was hiding nearby. That's how I knew you were engaged. I overheard you and…your fiancee talking.'

Remus looked at her, an expression of guilt on his face, before he stood up abruptly. Tonks had asked him in the forest if he'd thought about her proposal. Krystal had overheard them; had heard him accepting; had seen Tonks kiss him. He felt like she'd caught him cheating on her, and his words slipped out before he thought.

'God, Krys, I'm sorry. I wish you hadn't seen that,' he said remorsefully. She shook her head and frowned deeply.

'It's fine,' she whispered, eyes giving away her hurt. 'Really. I'm happy for you. I wanted you to get on with your life and you have.'

Remus' eyes closed for a moment, his face clenching in pain. 'I don't know if I have,' he murmured, his voice so low the trio didn't hear, but Krystal did.

'You're engaged,' she said softly. 'I'd say that qualifies as getting on with your life.'

But it was his turn to shake his head. 'Not necessarily,' he countered. 'Depends on the circumstances, doesn't it?'

He stopped talking, catching sight of the suddenly very quiet teenagers. He'd been so focused on Krystal, he'd forgotten they were in the room with them. He turned and faced the window, his back to them as he tried to concentrate on what they were trying to do - help Harry.

Krystal also seemed to remember where they were, and she continued as if nothing had happened.

"Anyway, Albus wanted me to teach you some of the things he didn't have time to show you: curses and hexes you have not faced; how to duel properly. I guess he thought I was the perfect person to teach you about some of the darker aspects of magic."

She shot a glance at Remus, who had turned his head sharply to glare at her.

Still looking at Remus she said, 'He also wanted me to show you how to contact me quickly at any time; to set up a Trace on you so I know how to find you fast when you need me. I know, Remus," she said impatiently as he tried to interrupt.

'But I think I'm probably the best person for any illegal activity seeing as I don't actually exist anymore."


	31. Chapter 29B

**WARNING: For T/R haters - soooo sorry but there is a brief mention of sex in regards to the couple. Ew! - I know. Imagine how I felt writing it (although there is a little twist that made it bearable.)**

**Sorry The Fleaks - Should have known not to doubt you! Hugs.**

Chapter 29B

A stunned silence followed this remark and Krystal looked at the shocked teenagers with an alarmed expression on her face. She hadn't meant that to come out.

'What do you mean - you don't exist?' asked Harry, frowning at her.

But it was Remus who answered. 'That's enough,' he said, looking at Krystal.

The teenagers looked at him and saw the stress on his face, his jaw clenched tight. 'Enough now,' he repeated softly, looking at her with hurt eyes. 'I'm not ready….'.

He stopped and shook his head, turning away from her. Krystal's face was pained when she nodded.

"The most important thing now, is to start your training,' she said, changing the subject.

As Krystal explained to the teenagers what they would be doing over the coming days, Remus watched her, his face beginning to relax as he stared at her. The corners of his mouth turned up in a small smile as she spoke with growing enthusiasm about the things she wanted to show them.

Moving to sit again, he watched her talk. Even at school she had been passionate about defence: many evenings he had been her partner as she practiced spells and hexes, amazed at how effortless she made duelling look. He'd been blown away when, in Second Year, she demonstrated her wandless abilities for him, asking him to keep it quiet as she didn't want to 'freak the others out'.

He smiled a little to himself. He'd always known why she'd told him about her gift when she did. Not long before, she had discovered he was a werewolf. Krystal and he had become close, and she had sensed how isolated he felt. So, she told him what she'd been hiding - her secret. She had wanted him to know something about her too - something that made her different; something that no one else knew, so he wouldn't feel so alone.

'Where did that girl go?' he wondered. 'Is she still in there somewhere?'

The sound of the teenagers' laughter bought Remus back to the present. He watched as Krystal answered Hermione's question. When she smiled softly at the girl, he felt a swooping sensation in his chest.

'She always had a wonderful smile,' he thought, even though this smile hadn't quite reached her eyes.

He bit back a groan of frustration as he put his head in his hands, rubbing at his eyes to distract himself. He was tempting fate by coming here to see her, but even as he told himself to go, he knew he couldn't stay away. She had been the last thing on his mind last night and his first thought this morning. Just like she had been from the moment he met her.

He ran his hands around to the back of his neck, head still down. She was right this morning - he should despise her. He shouldn't want to be anywhere near her, but he was drawn like a moth to a flame.

Tonks had noticed how distant he'd been last night, getting upset when he'd refused to discuss it with her. He felt a shot of remorse, knowing it wasn't her he'd wanted when he'd taken her to bed last night, for the first time initiating sex. They both noticed the difference: he had been abandoned; passionate, as his usual tight grasp on his restraint disappeared. Tonks had commented on it; happy that he seemed to be losing his inhibitions.

Guilt ridden, he didn't want to think about how it was Krystal's face he'd seen as he'd plunged uncontrolled inside his fiancée, Krystal's voice he'd heard whispering his name in his ear, and he'd had to bite his lip till it bled to stop himself calling out to her when he came - a powerful release that shook him to his core. He hadn't been making love to Tonks; it had been Krystal in his heart and mind. His regret had been instant, but it hadn't stopped him reaching for her later that night and this morning - his thoughts with Krystal, and his need for her still as fierce as ever.

He knew that at some point very soon he would have to tell Tonks everything, but he needed to talk to Krystal first; to try and get some closure. Finally, he could ask the questions he had thought would never be answered. But first, he needed to work out how to be around her without letting his anger get the best of him: otherwise he would scare her away. As he heard her give a soft laugh, and felt a twist in his stomach, he knew that his anger wasn't the only part of him still out of control around her.

Realising Krystal had fallen silent, he looked up to see the others looking at him.

"Well,' he said quickly, standing up. "I have some things to do. I'll see you all later."

He stood and waved at the teenagers, who were looking at him curiously.

"Krystal, walk me out?' he asked. With a slight frown, she nodded and followed him out onto the porch.

He'd been frustrated with the tasks Albus had set him so far. Trying to be an envoy to the werewolves had failed miserably - he was ashamed of what he was; they revelled in it. He was disgusted by them; and had grown increasingly disgusted in himself as he spent more time amongst them. Wanting to do something constructive to help, he was pretty sure that what he was about to suggest was going to be a huge mistake.

"I would like to help out with their training, if you don't mind,' he said, continuing quickly when he saw her frown.

"Please Krystal, I'd like to do this for Harry. And for me. I need to do something useful…' He hesitated, trying to find the words he wanted. "We are going to need to talk. Soon. So I guess I also want to make sure you don't disappear again."

He saw his words made her wince, and he was sorry. She put her hand on his arm, and he felt a shiver run through him as her skin came in contact with his.

'I won't disappear again, Remus,' she said softly. 'I owe you an explanation at the very least. I won't leave until Harry's ready, and until you've got what you need from me.'

Remus felt an ache that travelled throughout his body. 'What I need is to kiss her; to taste her; to be inside her.'

The thought hit him hard. He trembled as his body reacted strongly to her touch; her nearness, and he tried desperately to regain a little control over himself.

'God, this is a really bad idea,' he told himself. He didn't need to spend more time with her; to allow himself to remember how it used to be.

'Right. Well, I have some things to do now,' he told her, his voice hoarse. 'But I'll come back after lunch to help.' He knew he needed some space from her right now, or he was going to do something he'd regret.

He saw her head lower, her hand sliding off his arm as she stared at her shoes. "How are we going to work together? Some of the stuff I'm going to show them….' She raised her head and looked directly at him. 'You won't want to be there, Remus."

He frowned, but said, 'Harry's safety is my priority, Krystal. Just like you." He moved closer to her, feeling his heart rate speed up and seeing her eyes widen.

"We were friends once. Can we just try and put the past aside for now and try to remember that? For Harry's sake?"

He held out his hand. Krystal looked at it, then back at his face.

She nodded, taking his hand in hers, trying to ignore the tingle that ran up her arm. "Deal,' she agreed.

* * *

Harry watched as Remus and Krystal had a quick conversation on the patio, shaking hands before Remus walked past the enchantments and disappeared. Krystal turned and walked back into the house. She saw Harry near the window and a look of annoyance flashed across her face. She didn't like being watched so closely, particularly not when she felt so damn vulnerable.

"Right you three,' she said. 'We've got work to do."

She spun on her heel and walked back into the now sunny yard, where she took off her jacket and waited, hands on hips, for them to join her. Once they were standing with her, she raised her hands and turned in a circle on the spot, casting an invisible protective wall around the four of them.

"I don't want anyone else to see what we are doing," she said to them. 'I don't think they'd be too happy about some of the spells I'm going to show you.'

Ron was staring at Krystal, looking a bit distracted, and Harry couldn't blame him. Her robes had again covered her last night, and she had borrowed a oversized jacket from Bill Weasley to wear in the morning chill. But now, she was wearing a long sleeved bright blue shirt that had a cartoon girl winking on it, with the slogan _'Naughty but nice!'_ emblazoned across her chest, and cut off jeans that showed off her very nice legs.

Her shirt tightened as she raised her arms, and Harry had to make an effort to pull his own eyes away, telling himself again that she had been a friend of his mother. He glanced back over at Ron, and had to stifle a laugh, as he saw his friend's eyes drop lower and widen a little as Krystal turned her back to them. Ron turned and saw Harry watching him. He turned bright red, and mouthed 'She's hot!' at Harry, who grinned and nodded.

Hermione was also watching Krystal with her mouth hanging open - for an entirely different reason.

"Wandless magic!" she gasped. "I know that certain spells can be performed wandlessly by very experienced, talented wizards but…." She broke off, apparently too impressed to continue.

Harry recovered himself and decided that this was too good an opportunity to miss. "Krystal doesn't use a wand at all; for any spells," he bragged, enjoying seeing Hermione get more and more flustered. "Oh and she's a born Occlumens so watch what you're thinking."

Krystal raised an eyebrow at Harry. "You might want to listen to that advice, Harry," she said with a grin, watching both Harry and Ron turn red, before turning to an increasingly agitated Hermione.

"It's true, Hermione, although we can talk more about it later. Right now, I want to see your defences."

As she said the last word, she raised her hands and all three of their wands flew into her hands. The teenagers looked stunned. Krystal's lips thinned and she glared at them as she threw their wands back to them.

"Lets try that again, shall we?"

* * *

Three hours later, Ron eased his bruised body into a kitchen chair. "She's mental! I don't think she even wanted us to stop for lunch," he moaned.

"What are you complaining about?" said Harry, who was slouched over the table with his cheek resting on the cool wood. "I had to do this for days; alone; with no one else for her to pick on."

Hermione made a tut tut noise. Ron glared at her. "Oh come on, Hermione. You can't tell us you aren't sore. She hit you with just as many hexes as she did us."

Hermione shot Ron a scathing look. "I guess I just appreciate what she is teaching us more than you two," she said as she lowered herself carefully into the chair next to Harry.

"And so you should," said Krystal as she walked into the room and threw herself into the chair next to Ron. "This stuff might just save your life one day."

Harry heard Ron mutter something that sound suspiciously like "I'll take my chances."

Krystal must have heard him as well, giving a snort of amusement as she stood up and gathered sandwich ingredients. Hermione stood, slowly, to give her a hand and they quickly put together some food.

As they ate, Hermione broke the silence. "You're really good at defensive magic, Krystal. How did you learn all that stuff?"

Krystal gazed at the younger woman for a moment before answering. "I always enjoyed Defence Against the Dark Arts at school and did a lot of study in my own time. As I explained earlier, I have inherited skills that make my magic quite powerful and unusual. Albus helped me realise that with power came the responsibility to learn about it; to use it properly, and to treat it with respect. So I studied hard and practiced hard."

She grinned, relaxing and letting her guard down as she looked at Harry. He had been right back at the cottage; he deserved to know more about his parents. And somehow, seeing Remus had made talking about them easier.

"Much to James' and Sirius' disgust, I came top every year in DADA," she bragged, smiled even more broadly as she remembered their faces. "God, they were so pissed off. We teased them about it for days afterwards - the Quiddich King and Hot Stuff Sirius - beaten by a girl."

Harry laughed, delighted that Krystal had seemed to have given in, and she giggled as well, sounding much younger than her years.

"Hot Stuff Sirius?' said Ron, who had almost snorted his juice up through his nose. Hermione giggled at his slightly disgusted tone, and Krystal chuckled.

"Yeah, that was what Lily and I called him behind his back. Actually,' she said, raising an eyebrow, 'I think I may have called him that to his face too. Sirius was one of the best looking guys at school: he went through a lot of girlfriends. If you could call them that.' She muttered the last sentence under her breath, but the other's heard her.

Ron spoke up, before Hermione had a chance to censure him. "Did you and Sirius go out together at school too?"

Krystal looked a little flustered. "No.' she said, distractedly. "Well, not really. We went to Hogsmeade once, but….it wasn't really a date. Sirius was…….a good friend. We were far too much alike to be anything more, and I preferred someone who wasn't constantly looking for his next conquest. Not that Sirius was shallow or anything,' she said hastily, unable to stop her rambling words. 'He wasn't. He was a really amazing guy when you got to know him. But he was so girl crazy for a long time. Not really a quality I……."

She stopped talking, her smile fading. "You said 'too', Ron. 'Did I go out with Sirius too'." She looked over to Harry and Hermione, who had been hoping she missed Ron's slip of the tongue.

"Remus told you about our history together.' It wasn't a question. Harry nodded, and Krystal stood up abruptly.

'How much did he tell you?' she asked, tension in her jaw.

'That you were friends, and then started going out together. That he used to live in Campbell Cottage with you until you…..broke up,' Hermione said gently, a little taken aback by the panic in Krystal's eyes.

Krystal blinked at her, then seemed to relax a little.

"Remus…,' she began, choosing her words carefully, 'Remus is the best person I've ever known, and he didn't deserve…" She stopped, and bit her lip, blinking her now bright eyes.

Ron and Harry fidgeted uncomfortably, and Hermione, remembering Remus' warning, leaned forward.

"You don't need to tell us anything, Krystal. It's none of our business."

Krystal gave her a tense smile. "I didn't deserve him. He is far too good a person for someone like me.'

Her jaw clenched as she continued. "I'm glad that he's found someone who can make him happy,' she said, taking her plate over to the sink.

"Enough chat for now. Let's get back to work." She walked quickly back onto the porch as the other's packed up their lunch things.

Hermione leaned into Harry and asked, "Were you convinced by that? She was still pretty upset over something that happened, what, 18 years ago?" He shrugged and followed her out to the porch.

* * *

Remus was waiting on the porch to take part in the afternoon lessons. He stood near the stairs, looking out over the yard. Krystal was startled when she saw him, wondering if he'd heard any of the lunchtime conversation.

"I asked them not to question you about our past,' he said, not turning to look at her, his voice low as he confirmed her suspicions.

"They didn't ask: I guessed that you'd told them,' she replied, with a quick look behind her to see the trio come out of the kitchen.

Remus turned around and looked at her, opening his mouth to say something but he seemed to become distracted. He let her and the others pass him down the stairs, not hearing the kids greetings as he watched Krystal lead them back into the garden. He let out a shaky breath and felt a wave of lust rush over him, weakening his knees. The sight of her in that tight, cheeky shirt had made him stop breathing for a moment.

'Jesus,' he thought, his eyes moving to her ass as she walked away from him. 'She's still fucking hot!'

She didn't look as though she had aged at all, her body was still as fantastic as it had been at school. She was a little thinner maybe, a little more muscular than she used to be, but those curves that had always bought him to his knees were still there. He knew every inch of that body; the changes in texture, the taste of her, every spot that made her shiver or moan. And she knew every inch of his - she knew exactly where to touch him and how to make him quake for her, much like he was doing now. He shook his head, trying to clear it of the very vivid images his mind had conjured of Krystal without her clothing, berating himself as he moved to join them.

As Krystal put up the barriers again, he couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of the three sore, cranky teenagers, who were grumbling. He remembered Krystal, James and Sirius having 'playful' duels at school - gradually making them two against one when Krystal won more often than not, much to the boy's annoyance.

"I see you haven't lost your touch," he said to Krystal with a genuine smile, feeling a surge of heat rush through him when she grinned back at him, her eye's sparkling. It was the first real smile he'd seen her give and he was slightly taken aback at how it effected him.

"Ok. Let's get going," she said, a little shaken by Remus' smile but she couldn't help smirking when she heard their groans.

"Oh, come on!" she called. "Don't be such wimps. I thought you wanted a chance to get back at me for this morning?"

Ron looked at her, his face lighting up at the thought of sending Krystal flying with a Stunner.

"That's not a very charitable thought, Ron," she admonished. His eyes widen and his face quickly turned tomato red.

Remus laughed. "Careful, Ron," he said, "not even your thoughts are safe."

Krystal glanced at him. She could see he was taking their truce seriously - trying hard to emulate the easy friendship they used to have. She had forgotten how much they used to laugh together. Knowing it wouldn't be long until the past reared its ugly head again, she decided to enjoy their truce.

When he looked at her, she gestured to the teenagers, "Want to join them?"

There was a dare in her words, and Remus took up the challenge with a grin.

"Sure," he said, walking across the yard to stand next to Harry.

Hermione looked at him in shock. "Remus, four against one? That's not faaaaiiiiirrrr!" The last word was said in a screech as Krystal waved her hands and turned all four of them upside down.

"Death Eaters aren't going to wait while you debate the ethics of a four against one fight, Hermione!' Krystal said, smiling at the girl's indignation.

There was laughter from Remus and then a flash from his wand and they all dropped until their heads were only inches off the ground. Harry looked and saw Krystal still holding them in the air with one hand, using the other to conjure a shield to deflect the Body Bind hex Remus had just shot at her.

"Come on! Give me a challenge, Remus!" she called. He heard the older man chuckle again. Harry laughed out loud himself. She was fantastic.

* * *

Dusk found five people laying on the Weasley's lawn, exhausted. Krystal had tried to keep the practice light and playful now that Remus was there, not knowing how he would react, how she would react, if they had to use dark spells. She stuck to using ordinary duelling spells that the kids would have learnt in school, but her energy had tired her and the other's out.

Krystal had duelled against all four of them for a while, showing off her lightning reflexes. She had not been hit with one single spell, and, adding insult to injury, had managed to get her hexes through all of their shields at least once, laughing when they groaned in frustration. Even Remus, who had seen her duel was impressed.

'You've been practicing,' he said, puffed.

'You're out of practice,' she retorted, laughing as he bent over to try and catch his breath.

Then she split them up - Ron, Hermione and Remus against Harry and Krystal, teaching them how to back up an ally in a fight with multiple opponents. They continually swapped partners so she worked with all the teenagers, trying to get to know their weaknesses and strengths.

'Harry is talented,' she admitted after watching him fight Remus. His only faults were his impulsiveness, which she felt hypocritical criticising him for; and his reluctance to use force when he needed to. Ron was an adequate fighter - when no one was watching. He lacked confidence. Hermione was technically perfect, but when it came to using her gut; her instinct to fight, she collapsed.

She then paired up with Remus to show them how to use their shields as weapons, not just for protection. This made Krystal uncomfortable, but Remus seemed to be coping.

'I know what you're doing,' he said to her in a low voice, as she sent a soft spell flying off into the barriers instead of at him. 'And you're not helping them.'

As the sun began to sink, Remus finally got a Disarming spell around Krystal's shield, sending her crashing to the ground, raising a cheer from the watching teenagers. Krystal stayed down, laughing and panting and calling it a night.

'Thank God!' exclaimed Remus in relief, flopping onto the ground near her, exhausted.

The teenagers laughed, watching the adults trying to catch their breath from their position on the grass. Harry saw Hermione looking at them with a thoughtful look on her face, then she glanced at him. She indicated with her head towards the house, shaking it in frustration when he frowned, confused.

"I need a bath. A long, hot bath," Hermione groaned, glaring meaningfully at Harry and Ron before crawling to her feet and making her way into the house. Ron, catching on, rolled over and pushed himself up. He followed Hermione, staggering a little as he went. Harry looked over at Krystal who was lying on her back and staring up at the darkening sky.

"Thank you," he said, wanting her to know how grateful he was for her help. She turned her head to look at him.

"For teaching us this stuff. I…," he stopped, a little embarrassed. "I'm glad you're going to be there to help me, you know, later. I'm glad that I won't be alone."

Krystal smiled. "You were never going to be alone, Harry. Not really."

He saw Remus turn his head to the side and look at Krystal, and suddenly realised what Hermione had been trying to tell him. Harry smiled and pushed himself to his feet.

"Thanks, Remus," he said. Remus raised his hand and waved as Harry took off after his friends, leaving the adults alone.

"Are they gone?" he said to Krystal. She turned her head towards the house.

"Yep," she said looking back at him.

He rolled over onto his side and groaned. "Good. I didn't want to cry in front of them."

He joined in as Krystal laughed. "Are you getting soft in your old age, Remus?," she said as she propped herself up on her elbows. He threw a grass sod at her. She smiled and looked back towards the house.

Her smile faded. "Will they be ready?"

Remus sat up and looked at her. "I don't think they could ever be ready, but they'll certainly be more prepared now that they have you."

He timidly stretched. "You always did pack a hell of a punch, lady," he said, then froze, looking at her. She stared up at him, eyes wide, looking as though he'd just smacked her in the face.

Remus sighed and shook his head. "I didn't mean….." Then he stopped and looked at her distressed face.

"Maybe it's time we talked,' he said, his voice low.


	32. Chapter 30

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**WARNING: Angst ahoy!**

Chapter Thirty

She had thought she was ready, but hearing him say that it was time, she realised she'd been kidding herself. She sat up quickly, and crossed her arms across her chest.

'I know I owe you answers, and I really did think I was ready to give them to you,' she said softly, her face strained as she bit her lip. 'But I don't think I can - not yet.'

Remus stared at her, trying to control his sudden anger and frustration. 'I need to know, Krystal,' he said, his voice hard now.

'I know,' she whispered, looking at the ground. 'It's taken a long time for me to even remember it all, Remus, and seeing you again…. Can you just give me another day to get it all straight in my head?'

'No,' he said, suddenly impatient, and not listening to what she was saying. 'I can't. You've had eighteen years to get it sorted. Tonks and I are getting married in a week. I need to be able to move on, to leave you behind. I need to know why you did it at least. Why you betrayed us.'

He saw the pain on her face as he spoke, and he was shocked to realise he had wanted to hurt her with his words.

'You're getting married so quickly?' she said, her voice faint.

'We don't see the point in waiting,' he answered, resenting her for the bolt of doubt that now shot through him. Krystal bit her lip again, and this time he saw a drop of blood bead there. She must have felt it too: her tongue quickly flicked at her lip and Remus felt heat in his groin.

'I've only ever seen you so impulsive once before,' she said, with a frown. 'You've either changed, or you must really l…love her.'

Her tongue tripped over her words, as she felt a horrible hollow feeling in her stomach. He'd asked her to marry him at school - so impatient when she kept convincing him to put it off.

Remus also felt like he'd been punched in the gut, but for a different reason. She'd reminded him that he didn't love Tonks, not the way he should; not the way he loved Krystal when he'd proposed to her. Tonks loved him, and he wanted to make her happy. When she had proposed to him, he'd been overwhelmed. He was only just getting used to being with someone other than Krystal; and he knew he didn't love her. But he had to try and move on, so he'd agreed. Now he felt regret for his spontaneous decision.

'Neither of us are the same as we were, Krystal,' he said, looking at her, his anger fading when he saw the absolute misery on her face. He felt an urge to hold her, to kiss her sorrow away. He took a breath.

'How about I tell you what I know, and you can fill in the blanks for me?' he said, a little more gently.

She nodded, finally accepting that he wasn't going to let it go. That he needed his answers to get on with his life. She couldn't take it back, but she could help him move on.

They looked at each other silently for what seemed like an eternity, neither knowing where to begin. Krystal finally tore her gaze away from his, drawing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She felt his eyes still on her. "Go ahead, yell at me. There is nothing you can say to me that I don't deserve, or that I haven't said to myself," she said miserably.

He frowned and looked up at the stars dotting the sky overhead. Now she'd agreed to tell him what he wanted, he didn't think he really wanted to know anymore.

"I honestly don't know what I want or what I feel," he said eventually, shaking his head. "I never believed you were dead. Don't ask me why, I just didn't. I spent a long time looking for you, Krystal, trying to persuade Dumbledore to tell me what had really happened."

Krystal looked at him, blinking hard when she heard the hurt in his voice.

"But he stuck to the story: that you had been bewitched by the Dark Side, that you had taken the Mark and turned your back on m…….on us,' he said, stumbling over his words. "That you were killed in an attack on a half blood, that there was nothing left of you.'

He swallowed hard and continued. "Lily was devastated. It took James a long time to convince her to let it go, to stop asking why. Sirius…….he was shattered. He drank a lot, until Lily got pregnant and told him to get his act together so he could be a godfather. Dumbledore was convincing. The others believed him. Why wouldn't they? After what you did…..'

He stopped talking and shook his head, his anger getting the best of him again.

'It nearly killed me, Krys,' he said, his voice harsh with pain. 'Losing you like that. To think that in all that time, I hadn't really known you. I never wanted to believe Albus. It didn't make sense - they weren't talking about the girl I knew. The girl I loved.'

His eyes closed for a moment, then he looked at her. Her own eyes had closed to hold back tears and she now lowered her head to her bent knees.

'But eventually, Sirius and Lily persuaded me to stop looking for you; told me that I was only prolonging the grief….'

He stared at her bent head, carefully controlling his voice, as he asked, "Would you show me your arm?"

Krystal held out her arms, not raising her head. She knew what he wanted to see. Taking a breath, he reached over and pushed both of the sleeves of her shirt up past her elbow. He let out the breath he'd been holding in one short, relieved blast.

There was no Dark Mark on her skin.

He looked at her, her head still bent. "Look at me, Krystal. Please."

Swallowing her despair, she faced him; ready to tell him what he needed.

"I don't understand. Why would you suddenly do that - turn to You Know Who; turn against us." He let out a shaky breath, and she noticed his hands trembling. 'You knew what you were there to do that night? You knew it was us? You went willingly with Snape?

"Yes, I knew," she said softly, her voice shaking. Remus shook his head.

"And you were happy to just go along with it?" he said, disbelief dripping from every word.

"Happy?" She stood up abruptly and stared down at him, her temper flaring.

"No, Remus, I wasn't 'happy' about it. I wasn't 'thrilled' to be told to hurt my friends; I wasn't 'overjoyed' to be told to torture the man I wanted to marry…."

She choked back the misery that had risen in her throat, and ran her hand across her face. Remus stood as well, standing silently watching her, his expression pained.

'I can't offer you any peace, Remus,' she said in a tired voice, looking back up at him. 'I can only try to explain what happened; why I did what I did. I'm not offering any excuses, what I did was inexcusable. But I'll tell you the truth.'

He nodded, saying, 'I need to know everything. I need answers, Krys.'

* * *

She bit her lip at his use of her nickname, a tremor running through her as she remembered how he used to whisper it in her ear. Pushing the memory away, she took a deep breath and began to speak.

"I know you always wondered why, after we left Hogwarts, I didn't join the Order straight away when you and the others did?' She saw him nod, looking a little puzzled by her change of direction, and continued, trying to sort her muddled thoughts into some order.

"Albus wouldn't let me. He told me he'd received information that Vol….You Know Who planned on trying to recruit me for his side. I told Albus that I would never fight with him, but he still refused to allow me to join. You remember how dark I became in Sixth Year?'

Remus nodded, feeling a little guilt still over how much he'd hurt her back then.

'He didn't trust me not to fall back into that darkness if things went wrong. I think he knew me better than I knew myself,' she said, her voice lowering in shame. "He knew I was weaker than the rest of you, that I would fail you…"

Krystal stopped and rubbed at her face, trying to regain some control over herself. She had spent years trying to drag herself out from under all the self recriminations she'd buried herself in, she didn't want to do that again. Remus watched her, crossing his arms across his chest to stop himself from reaching out for her.

"Albus was right,' she said. 'You Know Who sent a envoy the next night to try and convince me I should join him, that I could have more power than I knew what to do with if I came over to his side. I sent him away, but he warned me that You Know Who wanted me, and he would do whatever it took to get me to cross over.

Remus interrupted. "He came to you? You didn't go to him?' He was surprised at the sense of relief he felt.

She nodded, watching him silently as he spoke again. 'Snape was the envoy?' he guessed, with a frown.

She nodded again. "Albus warned me that the Death Eaters could come after my parents if I refused him,' she said, seeing his startled gaze. 'He got them to a safe house, but he didn't know there was a traitor in the Order - Peter; that the little bastard had already given You Know Who the addresses of all the safe houses, and Bellatrix was waiting there for word of what I'd decided. As soon as the Dark Lord found out I had refused him, she took them - my mum and dad."

She closed her eyes and held her lips together tightly, not wanting to allow a single sign of weakness to escape. She didn't want him to feel sorry for her. This was about giving him answers, and he needed to know everything.

"Did you know they'd been killed? Do you know what they did to them - to my parents?" she asked him quietly.

He shook his head, speechless with shock, involuntarily taking a step towards her. He knew her parents had died, but he hadn't known that they'd been murdered; he was told it was a car accident months later.

'God, Krys. I'm sorry. I didn't know,' he said, wanting to reach out for her, to comfort her. Why had Dumbledore kept this from him? He knew how close she'd been to her parents; it must have been devastating for her to lose them.

Krystal took a deep, shaking breath. 'Severus took me to them; they were in their house. They returned their bodies because they wanted me to see what they could do; what they would do.' She swallowed hard.

'I didn't recognise them. Albus told me later the Ministry had to use their medical and dental records to identify them, they were so disfigured.'

Remus was in shock and didn't even try to stop himself. He went to her and she felt his hand grip her shoulder tightly.

"I made Severus tell me what the Death Eaters did to them before they died. They tortured them; they forced them to torture each other by telling them they would kill me if they didn't. They raped my mother, and made my father watch. In just hours, they destroyed their minds."

She looked up at him, her face wracked with grief and a tear rolled down her cheek. She impatiently wiped it away.

"I was just about holding on, you know. I might have been ok still,' she said, beginning to pace. "But Severus told me that if I refused You Know Who again…..'

She stopped and looked up at him, a plea in her eyes.

"They wouldn't give up, Remus. They weren't going to stop until I agreed."

Her face began to collapse before she turned her face away. When she looked back at him, her eyes were shining, but she was more composed.

"If I didn't agree to join him, you were going to be killed next."

* * *

Remus felt another wave of shock roll over him. His mouth opened but he couldn't get any words out. No one had ever told him; Dumbledore had never told him. Even though he had asked him, no, begged him for details about why Krystal had turned against them. He felt his shock turn to anger towards the man, which he struggled to contain as Krystal continued.

"If there hadn't had been a full moon that night, I would already have been trying to identify your body as well as my parents. And if I still didn't agree, who would have been next? Sirius, or Lily, or James?"

"God, it hurt so much, Remus!' she cried, the words sounding as if they were torn from deep inside her. She sank to the ground, drawing her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them as the pain rose in her, as fresh as the night it had all happened.

"I didn't think I could survive it; I didn't want to survive it.'

Remus crouched in front of her, his own heart aching. He had loved her parents as well, and knew how devastated she must have been to see them like that; to know that she may have to see him like that.

"But then, after Sev said they were coming after you, I felt like a switch was flipped inside me. Suddenly I wasn't hurting anymore; I wasn't angry anymore. Everything seemed so clear - like I knew what I had to do.'

She paused. 'It wasn't only my parents' minds they destroyed that night,' she whispered, not seeing his stricken look at her words.

'Everything was dark, so dark and cold. It consumed me. It frightened me that I could just lose myself like that. But as long as I didn't fight it, I was numb. I didn't hurt anymore. And I didn't want to hurt anymore, so I let myself get taken over. I was weak.' She raised her head and looked him in the eye.

"If I could change what I did…..",' she began, but he interrupted her.

"You could have talked to one of us; to me. If you'd told me, you know I would have helped you through it; we could've fought him together."

She shook her head vigorously and took his face in her hands, desperate to make him understand. "There wasn't time! This all happened so quickly, Remus. After they found my parents, I didn't know who to trust anymore. The only person I knew was on my side was you, but I couldn't contact you. You were transformed when I made my decision and I couldn't go back after that.'

He still looked as though he was going to argue with her, but she got in first.

'They knew where you transformed and they were there; outside, waiting for you; and the moment you changed back, they would have taken you. You would have been so tired, so weak. You couldn't have fought them. They hate half breeds Remus: they would have destroyed you.'

Uncertainty crept across Remus' face. He was beginning to understand. Krystal took her hands off his face and continued.

"Sev told me to run, told me to leave. But I couldn't. You Know Who would have killed you all one by one to get me to come back - I couldn't trust the Order to keep you safe anymore. And what about my parents? If I ran away, they had died for nothing. I wanted to protect you all; I wanted to kill Bellatrix and the others who had done that to mum and dad.'

She paused, her face contorted as she said, 'I told Sev I'd join You Know Who if he called the Death Eaters off you all.'

* * *

She stopped talking when he held up a shaking hand, needing a minute to take in what she was telling him. His breath escaped in a short, sharp blast as his mind struggled to accept that everything he thought he knew was wrong.

'How did you know he wouldn't betray you; that he wouldn't tell You Know Who what you were up to?" he said finally, his voice shaking slightly.

Krystal sighed. 'I know you've never understood our friendship,' she said. 'It is a…complicated relationship. But I know him, Remus. I knew he would help me. I think he was in deeper than he wanted to be.' She sighed again. Sev's choices had been just as bad as hers

'I wanted revenge. I wanted to hurt those who hurt my family, who threatened my friends. Severus was my way to get to them. You Know Who never would have believed I was on their side if he hadn't helped me, Remus. When I told him what I wanted to do; he knew what sort of task I would have to do to show my loyalty, and he tried to talk me out of it. When he couldn't, he agreed to help me."

Krystal stood now, walking away from Remus until she was standing in the shadows. "It was Bellatrix's idea; making me torture you all myself to prove that I was ready to leave you all behind; ready to join the Dark Lord." She shuddered as the name of the woman who'd helped kill her parents passed her lips and pulled a hand over her head, dislodging some strands of hair from her ponytail.

'I wasn't supposed to leave you alive,' she whispered, seeing him close his eyes tight. 'I was supposed to kill you all.'

She shook her head and took a deep breath. "I couldn't do it. I told Severus I couldn't, but…….. he said that you'd all be killed by the Death Eaters anyway; that I'd be killed; that he had an idea."

She began to pace the grass again, unable to stand still. "Sev told You Know Who that he wanted to be the one to go with me; that he wanted to watch while I completed my task and, given that he despised James and Sirius, You Know Who allowed him."

She tried desperately to blink back the tears she couldn't stand for him to see. She twisted her hands together, continuing to move.

"He made sure I hurt you all enough to make it look convincing, then told You Know Who that some of the Order had come looking for you; that we had to get out of there before we'd finished. He helped me afterwards when I couldn't stop vomiting and carried me back to his house when I couldn't walk. He altered my memory so that when the Dark Lord took it, he saw me enjoying hurting you all; saw some of the Order interrupting us; saw us leaving before we could finish our job."

She stopped, her body now shaking badly, the hated tears again rising. Remus' mind was whirling: he'd always thought Snape was taunting her that night, but he'd been helping her, making her do what they were supposed to do to save all of their lives.

"If it weren't for him, they would have known I wasn't loyal; you would have been taken; I would have been killed.' She looked over at him. 'Because I couldn't have done it. I had enough trouble doing what I did; living with what I did.' Her last words were spoken quietly, but he heard them.

He frowned but she continued before he could speak. "You Know Who wanted to give me the Dark Mark as soon as he could - that night, in fact. He wanted to brand me as his own. I….' She frowned, recalling entering the Dark Lord's mind.

'I broke into his mind. I planted the suggestion that he should wait until the next night. There was no way I was letting him mark me as his.'

Her lip trembled and her expression changed from one of disgust to fear. 'I saw things in his head……things I wish I hadn't seen; things no one should have to see.'

She ran shaking hands over her eyes and forehead, trying to forget the depravity she'd seen in his mind.

'I managed to convince him that he wanted to wait, and Sev helped me get to Antolli and Crank the next day; I knew that they'd helped Bellatrix murder my parents that night."

Her eyes closed against the memory of what she had done. "I killed them, Remus." she said, her voice trembling. She opened her eyes and stared right at Remus, who looked pained. "I killed them, and do you know what? That is the only part of all of this that I don't regret."

* * *

She didn't know how much longer she could remain standing, her whole body was shaking. "But I made a mistake. Bellatrix was supposed to be with them but she wasn't.' She let out a bark of hysterical laughter. "She was running late."

Her laughter faded and she shook her head, grasping the back of her neck. "I couldn't believe it. Everything I'd done; everything Sev had risked; all for nothing. Bellatrix would know that it was me that killed them and You Know Who would do worse to us than either of my parents suffered."

Her jaw clenched. Remus was still standing in the same spot, his face now in shadow. She started pacing again, her shaking legs making it difficult, but she couldn't stay still any longer.

"Sev had a Plan B in case something went wrong. He knew Bellatrix would be there at any moment. He gave me a potion, Draught of the Living Death. Then he told me to hurt him; make it look as though we'd battled. He hit me with something; a spell.'

She paused for a moment and touched her stomach, remembering the pain that had ripped through her and the scar she still bore.

"When we heard Bellatrix arrive, I took the potion. Severus waited until she could hear him and then cursed me. The Killing Spell - with his wand pointing at the ground. When Bellatrix ran into the room, she saw what we wanted her to see. I was dead. Killed by Severus Snape."

She wrapped her arms around herself. She felt chilled to the bone. "He returned later with Albus and gave me the counter potion. Sev contacted Albus at my request; I knew he was the only one that You Know Who couldn't get to and I had to know if you were all safe; if I had done enough to protect you. I think I knew in my heart he couldn't have been the spy, and I knew he could try and hide you all, if You Know Who didn't believe I was dead.'

A shaky breath escaped as she remembered how panic stricken she had been. So worried that You Know Who would take his anger out on her friends.

'Albus arranged for me to leave the country, and he promised me he'd watch over you all,' she said.

She glanced over at him, her eyes grief-stricken. "I wanted to contact you, Remus. I begged Albus to let me, at the very least to try and explain, but he convinced me it would have put you in too much danger if you knew the truth; that you would already be a target if You Know Who didn't accept I was dead.' Her lips shook as she spoke.

"I loved you too much to let them hurt you anymore; I'd already hurt you enough." She could see the pain in his face.

'So I made him promise that he would tell you that story; that he would never let you know what had really happened. If I couldn't come back to you, I wanted you to be able to hate me; to believe I was dead; to be able to get on with your life and forget about me."

Her voice broke and a sob escaped, though she quickly tried to stifle it. He finally moved until he was standing right in front of her - only inches away. She stared at the ground, unable to face him, as she felt her grief cracking through the walls she had put up all those years ago. Remus, sensing this, bought up both his hands to cup her shoulders, physically and emotionally supporting her even though she knew she didn't deserve his help.

"I wouldn't have cared about the danger, Krys. I just wanted to be with you, even if it meant spending our lives on the run.'

He felt another silent suppressed sob shake her and grasped her face, making her look up at him. He saw the tears she'd always hated shedding had begun to run down her cheeks, and could feel his own escaping.

'I loved you, Krys,' he whispered. 'I would have understood. I would have forgiven you anything.'

Krystal shook her head. 'There was a traitor, Remus,' she reminded him. 'We didn't know it was Peter, but we knew there was someone who was feeding You Know Who information. If you had disappeared at the same time I had, they would have known I wasn't really dead, and they would have used the others to get to us; they would have hunted us for the rest of our lives. I didn't want that kind of life for you.'

She saw her words shake him as he remembered that he had said that very thing once to her. Krystal could see that he understood now, and noticed several more tears streak down his face. Her lip shook, hating seeing his distress.

'I thought you'd turned on us,' he said, so softly she could barely hear him. 'That I loved you so much I hadn't seen the part of you that could do this; that you hadn't ever really lov…..'

His mouth shook and he clenched his jaw as he finally put voice to his greatest fear - that she'd never loved him.

'The one thing I was so afraid of all these years was knowing that you must have thought that I had never really loved you,' she said, unable to hold back her tears anymore, and they flowed unchecked down her face.

'I did,' she said shakily. 'I loved you too much to let that be your end, to let you die for me. I'm sorry, Remus. I'm sorry I hurt you; that I did this the way I did. But I'd do it again in a second, because you and the others were safe. You had a chance to go on, and live your lives. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy.'

* * *

Inside The Burrow, Harry felt cold. He couldn't comprehend what he'd just overheard. He looked at Ron and Hermione who each held an Extendable Ear in their hand as they crouched next to him in the hall. Their pale faces echoed the shock he felt, and Hermione's face was wet with tears.

"She tortured your parents?" Ron asked in a frightened voice. Harry shook his head in disbelief.

When they had seen Krystal and Lupin talking outside, the trio had thought they would use the eavesdropping device to hear more about Krystal's plans for them tomorrow. They never dreamed that they would overhear such a private conversation; or one that would disturb them so completely.

"We can't tell them we heard that," said Hermione, quickly wiping her face. "Krystal is trying to help us…" Her voice trailed off as she saw the look of anger on Harry's face. "I know you want some answers Harry, but we were never supposed to hear this - Lupin told us not to ask; he'd be so angry if he knew.."

"If who knew what?" They hadn't noticed Mrs Weasley come into the hall. All three of them stared at her for a moment; speechless. Then Hermione held up the Extendable Ears.

"Fred and George," she said. "Crookshanks was playing with one of their products." Mrs Weasley waved her hand

"Let him eat it!" she said and turned to walk into the kitchen, not seeing the impressed look Ron was giving Hermione. She shrugged modestly and followed Mrs Weasley.

Ron, his stomach letting out a loud growl, stood. "You coming, mate?" he asked Harry.

He nodded and said, "In a second." He waited until Ron disappeared lifted the Extendable Ear and held it to his own again, looking out at Remus and Krystal.

* * *

Remus needed to know one more thing. 'The night you left,' he said quietly, looking into her eyes. 'You told me to ask you again.'

Krystal felt fresh tears welling up as she saw uncertainty and hurt in his eyes. 'It wasn't a trick, or a lie, Remus. I wanted you to ask me,' she whispered. 'I would have said yes. I wanted to be your wife more than anything.'

She could no longer hold the pain back when she remembered why he had insisted on them talking tonight. He loved someone else; he was marrying someone else. He wasn't hers anymore.

'Remus, is that enough for now?' she asked, her voice shaking hard as she tried not to break down completely. 'Please? I can't….'

She shook her head. He could see her distress, and realised she had nothing left to give him tonight.

'That's enough,' he said softly.

She tried to smile at him, but failed. She walked past him towards the house.

* * *

Harry was a little stunned as he listened to the last piece of their conversation. They were supposed to get married. No wonder they both looked in such pain around each other. He saw Krystal walk past Lupin, towards the house. Remus, his face tormented and struggling for control, stood watching her for a moment as she walked away from him, then he turned and stepped out of the house enchantments.

As she got closer to the house, Harry saw the tear tracks on Krystal's face and the grief that etched furrows in her brow, and the last remnants of his anger faded. He realised that, for now, Hermione was right. He couldn't ask her about what he'd heard. He didn't want to add any more pain to her face. Ducking into the kitchen as the front door opened, he sat at the table as Krystal disappeared up the stairs. His questions could wait.

* * *

Remus walked for a long time after he left The Burrow. His mind was racing. Now he had his answers; knew why Krystal had done it. He had seen her pain tonight. So long after her parent's death, her grief was still so raw; he could only imagine how overwhelming it must have felt all those years ago. He felt a fresh surge of anger at Dumbledore. If only the man had told him Krystal had been in danger, that he and their friends had been threatened; that she'd had no choice. If only Albus had told him she was alive.

He realised as soon as he saw her Patronus, that, no matter how much he thought he had, he'd never accepted she was dead - maybe it had just been wishful thinking or maybe they really had that strong of a connection, he didn't know. Back then, he had been in love with her - crazy, madly, deeply in love; and her supposed betrayal had very nearly destroyed him. For so many years, he'd ripped himself apart trying to figure out what he hadn't seen, what he'd missed, something that would have warned him about Krystal's treachery. But now he knew why she'd done it.

However misguided, she had done what she did to save him; she'd done what she did out of love.

When Tonks arrived at his house looking for him, she found Remus sitting in the dark on the couch with a glass of Firewhiskey in his hand. She switched the light on and was shocked by the look on his face. "What's happened?" she said, moving quickly to his side.

"It's alright," he told her. "I just….. I need to tell you something." She sat and listened as he told her about Krystal; about all that had happened.

When he finished talking, she sat in silence for several minutes. Finally she shook her head. "How could she have done that to you?" she said angrily. Remus shook his head, standing up and pacing.

"She was trying to protect us. She felt like she had no choice: she had to join him or see us all killed."

Tonks frowned. "She wanted revenge; she wanted to kill those Death Eaters that murdered her parents!' she said.

Remus stopped in front of her, saying, "Her parents were reduced to lumps of flesh, you can't blame her for wanting to fight back. This was the only way she could see to stop it."

Tonks made a sceptical noise. "By hurting people who cared about her? She hurt you, Remus! How could she do that to someone she said she loved?"

Remus looked at her. 'She was only a small child when all this occurred,' he realised. Their age difference had always niggled at him, and suddenly she seemed very young.

"There was a war going on,' he said flatly. 'We all did things we weren't proud of. Not all choices are simple."

He frowned as he remembered Lily telling him that Krystal had said those words to her that night. Now he realised she'd been giving them a clue, unconsciously maybe, but she hadn't wanted them to believe her capable of this. But they had. And maybe, by believing she was, they'd betrayed her as much as they thought she'd betrayed them.

Tonks stood up and glared at him. "I couldn't do that to you - not to someone I loved." He looked at her, her words breaking through his reverie.

"Not even to protect me?" he questioned. "Would you hurt me if it meant I got to live?"

She shook her head. "There were other ways. She could have gone to the Ministry…."

Remus stared blankly into the fireplace. "She wasn't thinking like that," he said sadly. "She lost her mind. It twisted her; made her irrational. It all happened so quickly, she didn't have time to sit and evaluate every possible choice, she just reacted."

Tonks looked at him disbelievingly. "You're defending her; after what she did to you?"

Remus nodded. 'I understand why she did it,' he said in a low voice. 'And I can't honestly say I might not have done the same in her shoes.'

Tonks sank back onto the couch as Remus poured himself another Firewhiskey. They were both silent for several minutes.

"Do you think you could stay at your parent's house for a couple of nights?" he asked finally, not looking at her.

"Why? What are you going to do?" she asked, hurt evident on her face.

He looked down at the glass in his hand. "Right now, I am going to get well and truly pissed, and then…." He shook his head and looked up at her. "I just need to think; to try and sort out my head."

Tonks breath caught in her throat. She had never seen the usually cool and calm Remus like this - so unnerved and unsettled. She always knew he had a side to him he didn't let her see, but now, looking into his eyes, she was frightened to see the shadows that stirred there; to see the side of him that could understand the desperation that could drive someone to torture the people they loved.

She stood and went to the bedroom they'd been sharing to pack a few things. When she came out again, he hadn't moved. He was still standing, staring into the fireplace holding his drink. He didn't look at her as she went to the door and stopped. She had to ask before she left. The question that had been bothering her since he first mentioned Krystal. The way he said her name; the way he talked about her disturbed her.

"You told me you never thought she was really dead?" He nodded. "She's the reason you didn't want to get involved with me, isn't she? The reason you've never gotten close to anyone else? You were waiting for her to come back?"

He looked up at her; she saw the misery in his face. "Tonks…" he began.

She shook her head. "I want to know; I need to know," she insisted.

He stared at her, his answer written all over his face. "Not consciously but, I think so. Yes."

Her breath came out in a rush as she felt his answer knock the wind out of her. "Do you still have feelings for her?" she asked hesitantly.

Remus had hoped she wouldn't ask. He tried a delaying tactic.

"Nothing was ever resolved between us. One moment we were together, the next it was over. It ended so violently; so quickly," he said.

"I need you to answer me," she said, distressed by his attempt to avoid the question. "Do you have feelings for her?"

He closed his eyes and nodded. 'Yes. Yes I do,' he admitted. 'I'm not sure what it is I'm feeling right now but….I loved her for a long time, Tonks. Seeing her again….I can't just turn it all off.'

"Are you still in love with her?" she whispered, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

He couldn't look at her as he responded sadly, "I love the girl I used to know - I don't know if she even exists anymore. I don't know what I feel for this woman who's come back, or if there's anything left of the Krystal I knew in her. I can't give you an answer, Tonks. I just don't know anything right now."

Tonks lip shook and tears rolled down her cheeks at his words. "Are you going to see her anymore?' she asked.

He looked at her and nodded. "Harry's training lessons,' he said.

'So, what happens to us?' she asked, struggling to contain her tears.

Shaking his head, he looked back at the fire. 'I don't know. Maybe we should put the wedding back a little?'

He felt awful, knowing he was hurting her. 'Can we talk again in a day or two?' He looked up at her and saw her nod.

She looked down and saw something glittering in his hand. He noticed her looking and put his hand in his pocket, turning back to the fire.

Tonks left, and Remus closed his eyes. He had given in to her proposal against his better judgement, knowing that he didn't love her the way a man should love his wife, and, worse still, that he still loved someone else.

He'd lied to his fiancée tonight. He knew exactly how he felt, how he'd always felt, about Krystal. The moment he saw her last night, he knew that he'd never even begun to get over her. But was Bill right? Was she still the same person he'd loved all those years ago? Or was this a stranger who looked like someone he used to love?

He felt in his pocket and pulled out a fine gold chain with a filigree heart on it. Running his fingers over the delicate charm, he was taken back to the night he gave Krystal this - her seventeenth birthday; just before they fell asleep in each other's arms. Then, he remembered the night he'd found it in his pocket after she'd disappeared.

He felt hot tears fill his eyes, and he clutched the necklace to his lips as he cried for everything that had been taken from them.

**A/N: Hope that wasn't too painful for T/R dislikers. :) R/R!**


	33. Chapter 31

**Sorry for the one chapter upload yesterday. IP is down and can't upload - discovered this as I was about to put this up yesterday. Have commandeered my sister's computer and will upload 3 chappies for your reading pleasure.**

**WARNING: Tonks forcing herself on Remus - what's new?**

Chapter Thirty One

Krystal had slept much better than she would ever have expected after the events of the previous day. 'Confession is good for the soul'' someone once said.

"Whose soul?" she muttered to herself.

She suspected Remus hadn't slept as well as she did last night. Krystal sighed and sat up. He knew everything now. Her confession had to have answered some questions for him, even if they hadn't been the answers he had wanted or expected.

She stood up and dressed quickly, pulling her hair back and plaiting it to keep it out of her face. She wanted to show Harry and the others some pretty full on stuff today. If nothing else, her experiences with the Death Eaters had taught her that she could access the darkest magic; magic she wouldn't have dreamed existed, or that she ever thought she'd use before her parent's deaths. She'd spent the last ten years studying the dark arts, and learning more about the darkness within her; hoping that by knowing it, accepting it, it would never be able to take hold of her again.

When she reached the kitchen, it was obvious it had been taken over as Wedding Central. Molly looked up from an argument with Fleur about table settings when Krystal entered the room. The older woman hadn't been happy yesterday when Krystal refused to tell her what they had been doing inside the walls she'd put around her and the teenagers.

"Good morning." Her greeting was a little stiff. Obviously, Molly was still angry with her.

"Good morning Molly," she returned the greeting as she was handed a coffee and plate of toast by Harry.

"I was just about to bring it up to you," he explained, seeing her startled expression. "You must have been tired; you didn't come down for dinner last night."

He avoided her gaze. Krystal felt a flash of annoyance at Remus. She'd seen the two of them whispering off to the side yesterday, and now she suspected he'd told Harry how weak wandless magic could make her. She thanked him gruffly and flung herself into a spare chair, taking a deep swallow of coffee.

She knew she had to look after herself better if she was to be of any use to Harry in the coming months. Lack of food and sleep could limit the effectiveness of her magic. Wandless magic exhausted a wizard more than normal magic. When a wand was used, the wizards mind and the wand's core provided the energy to create spells. Without the wand, a wizard had to rely on their own mind and body.

She munched on her toast. She preferred wandless magic; it was more powerful as it was coming directly from her rather than through a wand. The stress of the last couple of days could have reduced the efficiency of her magic. Maybe she should put off showing her students the dark spells until she was feeling a little emotionally stronger. She couldn't even fall back on her wand, having left it behind when she fled the country and never bothering to replace it.

As she debated this plan, she glanced at Molly and the woman's thoughts flashed through her mind before she could block them. Well, she could still read minds effectively anyway. She sighed loudly and put her toast down.

"Can I have a quick word with you, Molly?" She knew what the older woman wanted to know; of course, it was the one thing that Krystal couldn't tell her. They stepped onto the front porch and once they had walked as far as they could away from the kitchen, Molly turned on Krystal.

"I want to know what you are doing with the children. I know, you said you are giving them defence lessons. What kind of defence lessons? They are hardly able to walk and all of them are covered in bruises."

"Molly," Krystal tried to interrupt her but she was on a roll.

"They have told me they aren't going back to school this year. I don't know where that idea came from," she said, looking accusingly at Krystal, "but they needn't think that they are going to be wandering the country doing Merlin knows what. They should be safe in school finishing their education……"

"Molly, please……" Krystal said, but Molly was not listening.

"I know they think they have some kind of mission from Dumbledore, but it's just ridiculous. Dumbledore had the whole Order at his command. They are only children…."

"They aren't children, Molly," came a hoarse voice from behind them. Both women spun around, startled. They'd been both so caught up in their conversation, they hadn't heard him arrive. Remus stepped forward and took Molly by the shoulders.

"Molly, they have a job to do, and they will do it," he said firmly. "Krystal is teaching them skills they will need to survive. This is what Albus wanted her to do. Let her do her job." Molly fell silent.

"Molly," said Krystal quietly. The older woman turned to her and she saw the fear in her face. "I know you're scared for them. But they are of age now. You can't protect them anymore."

Molly stared at Krystal for a moment and then burst into tears. Krystal looked at Remus helplessly - she was way out of practice at this stuff. Remus put his hand on Molly's shoulder, she fell into his arms and he held her as she cried. Krystal quickly raised a barrier between the three of them and the house, cutting them off from view. She suspected Molly would be mortified if the teenagers inside saw her lose control.

Krystal turned her head away as she heard Remus whispering to Molly in soothing tones. She felt awkward with the other woman's display of emotion. Remus' presence made her feel more self conscious as she remembered her own partial breakdown just last night. But there was another emotion as well. She was jealous. Jealous that Molly had Remus' arms around her; that he was whispering in her ear in that voice that used to make her shiver. Krystal closed her eyes, trying to force the feelings and memories away.

After several minutes, Molly had regained control and was blowing her nose. "Thank you," she said to Remus, patting his hand. He smiled at her and she turned to Krystal, who felt it was safe now to drop the barrier she was still holding.

"Thank you too." Molly put her arms around Krystal. Surprised, Krystal's instinct took over as she put her arms around the other woman. "You'll protect them now?"

The whispered question next to her ear caused Krystal's stomach to clench. She didn't want someone else's life in her hands. But she pulled away from Molly and looked her in the eye.

"With my life," she said softly. Molly nodded and patted Krystal on the cheek. She went back into the house, leaving Krystal and Remus alone on the porch.

Krystal looked directly at Remus for the first time that day. He looked tired; his eyes tinged red and his hair was rumpled as if he had been running his fingers through it. "Thanks," she muttered. "I'm not good with….." She waved her hands to where Molly had stood. "All that comforting stuff. Not anymore."

She saw the corners of Remus' mouth turn up in a small smile. "I hadn't noticed," he said in a flippant tone. He had. She used to be the first to touch, to hug, to kiss. Krystal raised her eyebrows at him.

"You did ok," he said quietly. There was an awkward silence. "Krys, I…."

The rest of his sentence was lost as he saw Harry, Ron and Hermione approach them. "Well," said Ron. "What have you got planned for us today?" Krystal smiled as she heard the forced bravado in the teenagers voice.

"I want to show you some spells you may come across on your task but I'm not sure how to do it. I really need someone else who knows the spells to be there in case something goes wrong. I thought I might ask Bill……"

"What about me? I'm available and I'm right here," suggested Remus.

"No!" Krystal's voice sounded loud even to her ears and she lowered it. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Remus was our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," explained Hermione, who seemed surprised by Krystal's reluctance to accept Lupin's offer of help.

'I know, Hermione. I'm not questioning his abilities…'

Krystal looked slightly panic stricken, and Harry thought he knew why. He'd seen Krystal's attempts to avoid sending spells at Remus yesterday; heard his quiet words telling her to cut it out, that he was fine. At the time, he'd been surprised by her reserve, but after last night, everything made a lot more sense.

Remus also had a look of understanding on his face. He turned to the three teenagers and said, "Why don't you go and practice the duelling techniques you learnt yesterday while Krystal and I talk about today's lessons?"

As they were left alone again, Krystal said, "There's nothing to talk about. I'll ask Bill to help me this afternoon….."

"I'm here right now," said Remus. Krystal glared at him.

"I told you yesterday, I don't want your help with this stuff," she said abruptly, turning away from him.

He grabbed her arm and hissed at her in a low voice, "Whether you want it or not, you have a responsibility to those kids. I don't want to see James' son dead and it seems you may be his best chance. You need to show them this magic and I'm here willing to help."

He seemed to realise how tightly he was holding her and dropped her arm. "I think we both need to do this; to confront our fears,' He paused then added, "Together."

She looked at him; he was serious. She looked over at the teens who quickly pretended they hadn't been watching their exchange.

"I don't know if I'm ready to do this." Her pride took a hit as she admitted her weakness. "I don't know if I can do this with you here."

He began to move towards the trio as he said, "Neither do I. But there's only one way to find out."

'Fine,' she said, her jaw set. 'But you do things my way. Agreed?' He nodded and they walked over to the others.

* * *

Krystal put up the barriers and nervously faced them. "The spells I want to show you were created with the darkest intent in mind. Some are old and dark: not spells you will have come across in your reading, no matter how extensive that might be, Hermione."

Hermione looked a little embarrassed as Krystal read her face correctly.

"Death Eaters are all trained to use these spells and they will use them without hesitation. So, you need to be ready to do the same." She took a deep breath and flexed her hands.

"We'll start off easy - the Unforgivables."

Hermione gasped as Ron squeaked, "You said we'd start easy!"

"Compared to some of these Dark spells, the Unforgivables look like child's play," Remus said, his voice uncharacteristically hard. "Death would be preferable than to suffer through some of these hexes. If you can't do this, any of you, tell us now because once you begin to use these spells, there is no going back."

He glanced at Krystal, who's face tensed at his words.

"No," said Harry, nervously, looking at his friends who nodded. "We're ready."

"Remus will perform the hexes on me first; I won't fight them yet. I want to show you their effects. Then I want each of you to try them," Krystal said, turning to face Remus, who opened his mouth to argue.

"This is the way it will be! This is the best way for them to fully understand. You agreed, Remus." Her voice rose with her temper as his frown deepened. "You can go now if you aren't happy with the way I'm doing this."

As the others watched, her blue eyes lightened until they were a silvery colour and a thin, white haze formed around her body.

Remus clenched his jaw, his own eyes flashing with anger and raised his wand, snapping, "Fine! Are you ready?"

Krystal nodded and Remus growled, "Imperio!"

Her body jerked and her face relaxed. She began to jump up and down as Remus took over her mind. Harry looked over at Lupin, then back at Krystal. He knew the conversation he had overheard last night was the cause for all the tension today.

Krystal suddenly stopped jumping. She turned and stared at Harry, her eyes wide and scared; her face draining of colour. Harry looked at Remus, thinking he'd removed the spell, but the man looked confused.

"What's wrong?" he asked Krystal.

Harry gave a start. He instinctively knew why she'd shaken off the curse. She had heard his thoughts. Horrified, he looked back at her. She was breathing heavily and he could see her lips shaking.

"How much did you hear?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

Harry cleared his throat. "All of it."

He saw tears forming in her eyes. "And you didn't say anything? You are still willing to work with me?"

He nodded as he saw Ron and Hermione exchange a glance. They had figured out what was going on. Remus stepped closer, looking from Krystal to Harry with a wary look on his face.

"Why?" she asked incredulously.

Harry stepped closer to her. "I was angry at first. Really angry,' he admitted. 'But then I began to think about it. Not so long ago, my friends got hurt because I made bad choices. Because I wouldn't stop to ask for help. Because I was angry and scared that the only person I had left was going to be taken from me too. I was trying to help Sirius and I ended up nearly getting my friends killed."

Krystal shook her head. "It's not the same Harry. I hurt my friends, you didn't…..."

He interrupted her, out of the corner of his eye seeing the look of shocked comprehension on Lupin's face.

"It may not have been my wand that did the damage, but it was still my fault. I know how easy it is to make the wrong decision for the right reasons. Your intentions were good, you weren't doing it out of hate, you did it to protect your friends. I thought I was protecting Sirius that night - I ended up getting him killed."

Harry could see that Krystal was struggling to keep her tears at bay. He turned to Lupin, who had a strange look on his face as he stared at Harry.

"I'm sorry, Remus,' he said quietly. 'I overheard some things I had no right to hear. I'm sorry that I eavesdropped.'

Ron and Hermione stepped up beside him. "That we eavesdropped,' said Hermione, her voice trembling. "We are all sorry."

Lupin looked away, his hands coming up to rub the back of his neck. Krystal waved her hand at the barriers, which immediately collapsed.

"We'll finish this after lunch. Go and help Molly with the wedding stuff. Please?' she said as Harry tried to argue. The guilt ridden teenagers turned and disappeared into the house.

"They heard everything last night?" Remus needed it confirmed.

Krystal nodded. God, Harry was never supposed to find out - at least not until all this was over. She raised a shaking hand to her mouth then turned and ran behind the nearest tree. Remus heard the sound of retching and he felt a little sick himself, but for different reasons. Harry's words had struck a nerve. He remembered hurting Krystal once, because he thought he was protecting her. He was willing to hurt her, to try and save her from what he believed would be a miserable life, and enormous pain later. And Harry….

He'd never blamed Harry for the choice he made back then, not even when it inadvertently led to Sirius' death, because he understood the intentions behind it; understood how young Harry was and how hard it was for someone that young to see beyond the moment.

Remus felt a little shocked when he realised that Krystal had only been a year older than Harry was now when she made her choice, and that they were here teaching him to do the very things she'd done - to torture; to be prepared to kill.

He recalled how misery had weighed heavily on him every time he'd seen the hurt in Krystal's face all those years ago, and he knew how much guilt and pain Harry still carried about his part in Sirius' death.

Up until this moment, even after seeing the pain in her face last night, he hadn't stopped to think about how much that decision must have hurt her; how hard it must have been for her to make that choice.

Harry risked his and his friends lives to save someone he loved; and so had Krystal. She made a decision that at the time seemed like the only one; just as Remus had all those years ago.

She'd hurt them all to save them; risking her own life, knowing that she'd never be able to come back; that she was leaving everything she loved behind. Now, he understood the sacrifice she'd made for him and was beginning to realise what it must have cost her. He finally, really understood that she hadn't done this to him.

She'd done it _for_ him.

* * *

Remus walked towards the trees that circled The Burrow. For a minute he searched, and finally found Krystal sitting underneath a large oak tree. He sat on the ground next to her, leaning back into the tree trunk.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I don't know what else to say. I can't ever take back what I did to you. It was unforgivable."

He reached over and took her hand, linking his fingers with hers and feeling heat shoot up his arm. She stared at their entwined fingers and then looked up at him. He smiled.

"I forgive you."

She stared at him, her expression apprehensive, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop. "No catch,' he said, reading her expression correctly.

"You forgive me?" she questioned, "What? Just like that?"

Remus shook his head, looking at their still joined hands. He'd nearly forgotten how well they fit together.

"No," he said. "I always knew that you would never have done what you did without reason. I just didn't know the reason. Now I do, I understand, and I realised that I forgave you the moment I saw you again."

He looked at her and saw the tear streaking down her cheek. He fought against the sudden urge to lean over and kiss it away.

'I always said you were far too forgiving,' she murmured, brushing the tear away with her hand. He smiled at her and she let out a breath of laughter as well.

Her smile faded quickly though, and she pulled her hand gently out of his grasp.

'So, you've got what you wanted. You know why,' she said, pulling grass out of the earth and twisting it in her fingers. 'You can get married and move on now.'

She stood up, brushing off her backside as he stood as well. 'If I was your fiancée, I wouldn't want you hanging out with an ex girlfriend, so I'll understand that you probably won't be able to help out much. There's no reason for you to hang around now.' She looked at the ground, her foot turning up the grass and soil distractedly.

'Your fiancée, Tonks is it?' She looked up at him and he nodded, staring at her as she kept talking. 'She's probably got a fair few things for you to get ready; I've seen how crazy Molly's going with Bill and Fleurs' wedding. You should be spending this time with her, Remus.'

He thought later it was hearing her say his name in that bossy way she used to that made him do it. He took a step towards her and put his arms around her.

'Remus,' she objected, pushing at his chest, but he wouldn't let her go. He'd dreamed of being able to hold her again for eighteen years, and he wasn't going to let her push him away.

"Don't Krys,' he whispered shakily. 'Please let me hold you again. Just for a minute.'

After a few seconds, she stopped pushing at him, and a moment later he felt her arms move around his waist. Remus felt tears stinging his eyes and clenched them to try and stop them escaping. He hadn't felt anything like this since she'd left. It felt like he'd woken up after a long sleep.

Krystal too, was struggling against her tears. She hadn't been held like this for eighteen years, and it was a little overwhelming. She'd forgotten what it felt like to be touched by someone she loved, and the words just escaped.

"I've missed you."

Krystal's whispered confession made his heart leap and he couldn't hold back the tears any longer. He knew he shouldn't allow himself but he couldn't help it - the words were out before he could think.

"I've missed you too."

They stood there, holding each other. Remus' head dropped to her shoulder, pulling her so tightly against him, she must have been hurting. But she buried her face in his neck and held him just as hard, for a few minutes allowing herself to forget that he wasn't hers anymore.

Finally, Molly's raised voice reprimanding Ron broke through the spell, and Krystal pulled away, forcing Remus to drop his arms. She wiped away the traces of the tears she'd shed, as he did the same.

'Those kids have had enough of a break,' she said, her voice cracked. 'I'll go and get them back to work.'

Remus took her hand as she walked past him, stopping her.

'I'm staying, Krys,' he whispered. She nodded and let her hand slide out of his as she continued towards the house.

'I know,' she said softly.

* * *

That night, Remus visited Tonks at her parent's house.

'You want to put off the wedding?' she said angrily, not wanting to believe what he'd just asked. He nodded.

'I'm sorry, Tonks. I think it would be a good idea.' She stared at him for a moment than sank down onto the couch.

'Has something happened?' she asked, looking up at him with teary eyes.

He sat next to her and took her hand. 'I just need some more time to sort through all of this. I just…..it's a lot to take in, and I don't want to marry you with all this on my mind.'

She looked at him and her expression softened a little. 'But you don't want to call it off? Just wait another week or so? Remus,' she said, alarmed by his hesitation. 'you do still want to marry me, don't you?' He looked at her distraught face and couldn't tell her how confused he felt.

'I don't want to call it off. Just put it back a bit, ok?' he said, giving her a forced smile.

She smiled back at him, and threw her arms around him, pulling him close to her. He put his arms around her and held her, sadness filling him as he realised he felt nothing like the intensity and emotion he felt with Krystal.

He wasn't an idiot; he knew that this morning's embrace had been moving for them both because it had been so long, but it had reminded him of the feelings he'd worked so hard to forget over the years. How he'd always felt stronger when he held Krystal, how they fit together perfectly, and how right it had always felt. Holding Tonks had never felt like that.

He felt her lips move on his neck, and closed his eyes. There was no way he could do this again - make love to Tonks while he thought of Krystal. She had moved her lips to his now, straddling his lap, pushing him back onto the couch.

'Tonks, we shouldn't…..your parents,' he tried to say, but she put her hand over his mouth.

'They won't be back for hours yet.'

Remus felt her hands move to his belt, rubbing over his groin before she undid it.

'No, Tonks,' he said, trying to stop her hands. 'I'm not really in the mood. I'm tired.'

She grinned up at him. 'Stop worrying. They really won't be back for ages. And I don't think you're that tired. Something's in the mood.'

She had his fly undone now and shoved her hand down his pants, stroking him.

His eyes closed for a moment, feeling himself getting hard as she touched him. Her lips were moving on his neck again, licking his skin. His breath quickened, as her lips moved to his throat.

'Tonks, stop,' he said, trying to pull her hand out of his pants, but she gripped him harder.

'No,' she said, kissing his lips. 'You don't really want me to. I can feel it.'

She ran her thumb over the tip of him and he couldn't help his reaction, his hips rising sharply.

Tonks laughed, and slid down until she was kneeling on the floor in front of him. She pulled his pants lower, and Remus felt her lips on his stomach. He opened his eyes, and looked down at her pink head, knowing he really didn't want her to do this.

'No, I mean it, Tonks,' he said, taking her head in his hands. 'I want you to stop.'

She looked up at him, still stroking him but he grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands off him.

'I am sorry, Tonks,' he said, looking at her puzzled and hurt face. 'I'm really tired.'

He gently pushed her off him and stood up, doing up his pants again. She stood up next to him and watched.

When he was dressed again, he hugged her and kissed her forehead. 'I should go. I'll see you later, alright?'

She nodded and followed him to the door. As he made to leave, she grabbed his arm, throwing herself at him, kissing him desperately. After a minute, Remus managed to extract himself.

'I've got to go. I'm going to collapse in exhaustion otherwise.' He smiled at her then apparated away, not seeing her angry face.


	34. Chapter 32

**Enjoy - we're getting very close to a resolution which means S-E-X!**

Chapter Thirty Two

Harry and Krystal both celebrated their birthday's while at The Burrow, Krystal's being the day after Harry's. Harry had a party with many Order members popping in throughout the day, and a raucous dinner with The Weasleys and some closer friends, with lots of laughter despite the dangerous times.

Krystal disappeared halfway through Harry's party, sitting inside for a little while, trying to reign in the unease she felt. The number of people around her made her feel a little panicked. She'd spent so long alone, seeing no one for literally months on end until just over a week ago. It was a big adjustment. Bill went looking for her, not telling her that Remus had seen her leaving and was worried; not wanting her to be alone, but not wanting it to look like he was watching her as closely as he was. So he'd asked Bill to find her and make sure she was alright.

* * *

_Bill and Remus had talked in the kitchen a couple of days after Krystal had come to The Burrow; just after Krystal told Remus what had happened all those years ago._

_'How do you feel about it all?' he'd asked Remus, after everyone else had gone to bed. 'Do you believe her?'_

_Remus nodded. 'Yeah, I believe her,' he said._

_'Kind of puts everything in a different light, doesn't it? What are you going to do now?' Bill asked, seeing his friends confusion._

_'I don't have a clue,' Remus answered, putting his head in his hands. 'I…I should never had said yes to Tonks when she proposed - I knew that straight away, before Krystal came back. I don't love her - not the way a husband should love his wife. But I care about her, and I don't want to hurt her.'_

_He shook his head and said, 'I don't know if Krystal and I could ever put it all behind us and make a go of it now. I don't know if we should even try. But….it's still there, Bill. The way I used to feel about her: it's all still there.'_

_Bill smiled at his friend. 'All you can do is follow your heart, Remus,' he said softly._

_'And if my heart doesn't know what it wants?' Remus asked, with a frown._

_Bill shrugged, not envying Remus his decision, but couldn't help commenting. 'On the positive side, how often do you have two gorgeous women to choose between? Maybe you could convince them to wrestle for you - in mud maybe?'_

_Remus tried to glare at him, but he couldn't help the smile that crossed his face._

_'Krys is still pretty damn hot, isn't she?' he said, unable to stop the old feeling of pride welling up in his chest. He'd never been able to quite understand how he managed to get someone like her to love him._

_'Yes she is,' Bill agreed, having noticed Krystal's particularly nice legs. 'She's got great legs. Although I will deny having even noticed she's female if you tell Fleur I said that.'_

_Remus laughed, then stood up to leave, having noticed how late it was. 'It's her ass that always made me fall over my own tongue,' he admitted, stepping out onto the porch, Bill behind him._

_'That seems to be something that hasn't changed,' Bill said, grinning when Remus looked startled. 'You aren't always subtle in your appreciation of her ass, Remus. Along with various other parts of her body.' He raised his slightly cupped hands, putting them on his chest._

_The older man turned red, and turned to leave._

_'And I find it interesting,' Bill said, as he turned to walk inside. 'That all you've talked about tonight is Krystal. You haven't once said anything about Tonks.'_

_Remus frowned as Bill gave him a smile. 'Maybe your heart isn't as confused as you think it is. Night, Remus.'_

* * *

Bill had found Krystal inside now, and sat with her chatting for a while, eventually convincing her to come back outside with him. When they reached the front door, Bill stopped suddenly, staring out into the yard. Krystal frowned, and looked around him to see the pink haired girl she'd seen kissing Remus at Albus' funeral. Her breath left her lungs as she saw her approach Remus and put her arms around him, pulling his face down to kiss him on the lips.

Remus looked surprised to see her, putting his arm around her and looking up towards the house with an anxious look on his face. Krystal backed away quickly, not wanting him to know she'd been watching. Bill turned to look at her.

'Krystal….,' he began, but she shook her head.

'You know, I'm pretty tired now that I think about it. I'm going to go on up to bed. Night, Bill,' she said, quickly walking up the stairs to her room.

Bill knew how torn Remus was, and could see now how worried he was that Krystal had seen Tonks with him.

'You aren't doing anything wrong, Remus,' he tried to tell him. 'Tonks is your fiancée. Krystal knows that.'

'Rationally I know that, Bill, but I still feel like I'm cheating on her,' he said, whispering as Tonks was greeting Harry, who also looked anxiously towards the house.

'That should tell you something,' Bill said, seeing his friend frown as he watched Tonks looking around the yard.

'I'm going to get her out of here,' Remus said suddenly. 'I don't want them to run into each other.'

Remus moved to stand with Tonks, saying, 'I was about to head home, Tonks. Come on and I'll make sure you get to your parents' place alright.'

'Don't I get to meet the famous Krystal?' Tonks asked, knowing exactly what he was going and feeling angry that he was trying to protect this woman. The reason they weren't married yet.

'She actually went up to bed quite a while ago,' broke in Bill, suddenly feeling protective of Krystal. "Parties aren't her thing apparently.'

He liked both women, and he couldn't blame Tonks for being angry, but he'd seen the look in Krystal's eyes when she saw Tonks kiss Remus. She was much more fragile right now. He saw his friends' grateful look and, even though Tonks didn't look convinced, she gave Harry a hug before she left with Remus.

* * *

The next day was Krystal's birthday. She hadn't celebrated a birthday since she was eighteen, and was happy for it to stay that way, but Remus had other ideas. He knew Krystal wouldn't be able to cope with a party, and she didn't know anyone in the Order anyway, but he let the Weasley's know about her birthday, and they surprised Krystal with a family dinner and cake. She was touched by the way they had accepted her into their lives and treated her as part of the family. A little emotional at the end of the night, she found a hiding spot behind the old chicken shed to compose herself.

But Remus found her himself this time, refusing to let her hide alone anymore.

'I'm really not in the mood to talk, Remus,' she warned as he sat down on the grass next to her. Remus smiled.

'Good,' he said, leaning back against the shed. 'I might get a word in edgeways for a change.'

He talked - telling her about his life since she'd left it. She became angry listening to him talk about the Ministry laws that had been passed, making it impossible for him to get any work, let alone the teaching work he'd grown to enjoy. Listening to Krystal go into a rant about what she'd like to do to those 'morons' at the Ministry, made Remus smile. After all this time, she was still his greatest defender.

They talked until the early hours of the morning, Remus finally, reluctantly, saying he should leave otherwise he'd be too tired to apparate home. Before he left, though, he gave her the gift he'd brought along for her, nervous about her reaction to it.

'You shouldn't have got me anything, Remus,' she said, staring at the present in his hands with a frown.

'I didn't. This is yours,' he said quietly.

Krystal took the gift and unwrapped it. She looked up at him, a little stunned, when she saw the gold necklace.

'You kept it?' she asked, disbelievingly, as her fingers touched the charm, trembling a little. 'All this time? You kept it?'

'Of course,' he said, watching her fingers move over the heart. 'I carried it with me. I hoped that one day I'd get to give it back to you.' He saw her lip wobble a little before she bit it.

"I can't take this, Remus,' she said, her voice trembling. She tried to hand it to him, but he pushed it back towards her, his hand closing hers around the necklace.

"It belongs to you. I want you to have it back,' he said firmly. She bit her lip again, looking down at their hands.

"I can't, Remus. You gave this to someone else; someone you loved,' she said, shaking her head. 'I'm not that girl anymore.'

He felt her press the necklace into his hand, and he took it. Walking around behind her, he put the chain around her neck, his hands fumbling a little with the clasp as his fingers brushed her skin. He felt her shiver when he touched her, and for a moment he gave in to his desire to be close to her, resting his forehead on the top of her head, his eyes closing as he breathed in the scent of her hair. Letting out a shaky breath, he moved back to face her, watching her reach up to touch the filigree heart.

"Thank you,' she whispered, her eyes filling with tears, shaking a little from the touch of his hands on her shoulders.

He smiled at her, then impulsively leaned forward and kissed her. He truly had meant to kiss her cheek, but somehow, he ended up pressing his lips to hers. It lasted for just a moment, but the small kiss shook him deep down. Krystal felt longing shoot through her at the touch of his lips; and the unbearable sadness of knowing that he belonged to someone else.

"The girl I fell in love with is still in there, Krys,' he said softly, smiling at her again before disapparating.

* * *

Lessons continued, with Remus and Krystal working together to help the teenagers gain the skills they would need on their journey. The spells and hexes gradually got darker, and Remus and Krystal both found themselves waking up from their sleep, sweaty and shaky from the memories they had awakened.

Despite this, the former lovers had managed to piece together their fractured friendship. There was some tension between them, but that was mostly due to the physical reactions they still provoked in each other when they were close, leaving them both shaky and flushed.

They were now working on common spells that Death Eaters had modified, making them even more deadly. They were using the hexes in duels, Krystal being careful to keep a shield up in front of the kids at all times.

It was dark when the barriers lifted and the house lights fell on five sweating, gasping figures. Krystal, who had been duelling Ron, remained crouched on the ground as she told the teenagers to go inside to eat. Harry, noticing her pained expression, made a concerned motion towards her but she waved him away.

"Go on," she gasped, her voice harsh. "I'll be there in a few minutes. Just let me catch my breath."

She watched as they limped through the front door of The Burrow. As the door closed behind them, there was a flurry of activity. Remus waved his wand and recreated the barrier as Krystal fell to the ground, clutching her stomach, groaning in pain.

"What can I do?" Remus knelt at her side, his face creasing in concern as he heard her now strangled breathing. He'd seen Ron's curse hit her, but she'd warned him with a look and quick shake of her head, not to say anything in front of the others. Her and her damn pride.

"Dittany," she gasped, her face a deathly shade of white. She motioned with a shaking hand to her pocket. Remus pushed open her jacket and pulled the small bottle out of her jeans pocket. He cursed when he saw the blood staining her shirt and jeans.

"Put it on…" she stopped and indicated the wound. "H..Hurry!"

Remus pulled out the stopper and ripped her already torn t-shirt open. He saw the deep cut across her stomach and his heart stopped. How had she managed to stay quiet when that hit her? His hand shook as he poured half the contents of the bottle over the wound.

Krystal screamed, unable to hold it in any longer, as the dittany began to smoke. Her back arching off the ground as pain ripped through her body.

She clutched Remus' arm, her fingernails digging into his skin.

"Again!" she whispered, her breathing ragged.

Remus, his own face pale and sweaty now, held his breath as he poured more potion over Krystal's stomach. She let out a strangled groan as she again arched into the air, before falling silent and limp.

* * *

At first, Harry thought he was seeing things. Remus was carrying Krystal in his arms up the porch stairs.

"Help me!," he yelled, the urgency evident in his voice. Mrs Weasley looked out the window and dropped the plate she was drying. She ran into the hall, followed closely by Harry. The others in the kitchen looked up, startled by the smashing plate.

"What happened?" Molly asked as Remus moved into the living room, laying Krystal carefully on the couch.

"A hex rebounded and hit her." He parted her ripped shirt, exposing the wound. Molly gasped when she saw the injury. The bleeding had slowed but still not stopped and it was still gaping open. He handed her the dittany bottle.

"She told me to pour this on it; then she passed out. I don't know what else to do; Nothing I tried would close it."

Remus looked at Molly as Bill pushed his way in between them, his eyes widening as he saw the wound.

"Mum, get some warm water and towels ready. Everyone else - OUT."

He crouched next to Remus, examining the cut as Arthur Weasley herded the others out of the room, arguing with Harry who wanted to stay.

"What hex did this?" he said quietly.

"Sectumsempra," said Lupin, in a low voice.

Bill looked at him sharply. "She's teaching them Death Eater hexes?" Remus nodded and Bill shook his head.

"For Merlin's sake, don't tell mum. When she asks, make something up," he said quickly as Molly entered the room with a bowl and towels.

"Thanks Mum," he said taking them both off her, "I'll call you when I need you."

Molly looked as if she were about to argue, then nodded and quickly left the room, closing the door behind her.

Bill pulled out his wand and raised it over the wound. Remus heard him mumble under his breath. The bleeding stopped and the skin around the wound turned red and began to tighten. Bill repeated this several times until the wound was completely closed, the new pink skin pulled taut. He sat back on his heels and took a deep breath.

"That should do it. I came across this hex a few times working as a curse breaker. A modified form of it is often used in booby traps. The dittany usually works on hexes, but not these Death Eater spells. She'll need to rest and should see a proper Healer; she may need a blood replenishing potion. It going to leave a hell of a scar; although,' he said pushing Krystal's shirt open wider and gently touching her stomach, "It obviously won't be the first."

Remus felt like cold water had been dumped on him as he saw the scars Bill had uncovered, just visible through the blood.

"There's more here," said Bill, gently rolling Krystal on her side.

There was a large jagged scar, that he suspected Snape had given her that night she'd disappeared, but there were other, more ominous looking wounds. Remus ran his fingers softly over the faint scars criss crossing Krystal's stomach. They were neat, deliberate; not ragged like scars received in battle.

'God, look at this one,' Bill gasped, his own face paling a little as he pulled her shirt down and looked at the neat, straight scar on the inside of her upper arm, running from close to her armpit to the crook of her arm. It had obviously been deep: it would never fade.

Bill looked at Remus. "How do you think she got these?"

Remus was still staring at the marks. "I don't know,' he said, unable to hide his shock.

Bill heard the ill disguised anguish in his friends voice.

"Are you alright?' he asked quietly. Remus nodded, unable to trust his voice. Bill put his hand briefly on Remus' forearm and squeezed.

He reached over and pulled Krystal's shirt together, zipping up her jacket. "Let's get her upstairs and Mum can clean her up a little."

Together they carried Krystal up the stairs to her room and lay her gently on the bed. Molly followed them with the bowl and towels. Bill stood and, after laying a hand on Remus' shoulder, left the room. Molly stepped forward and dipped a towel in the water, saying to Remus, 'Send Fleur up to help me get her out of these clothes.'

"No," he said, taking the cloth off her. "I'll do it." He saw her hesitation, and added, 'I have seen her a lot more naked than this, Molly.'

She frowned. Neither Krystal or Remus had confirmed the other's suspicions about their previous relationship, Remus having sworn the teenagers and Bill to silence.

'All the more reason you shouldn't be the one to do this, Remus,' Molly said. 'You're engaged to someone else. It's not appropriate.'

But when he just stared at her, she left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Remus removed her soiled clothes, wincing when he revealed the faint, but still detectable scars on her arms and legs. He ignored his physical reaction to her half nakedness and wet the cloth again, running it across her stomach, washing the blood off her skin. He repeated the action until she was clean and the bowl of water was bright red with blood.

He had several reasons for wanting to do this himself. He didn't want Molly or anyone else to see her scars, sensing that Krystal would hate that, and he wanted to check the extent of the scarring for himself. He also wanted to do for her what she used to do for him after his transformations - look after her and make sure she was safe. And lastly, the least noble and, he thought, slightly sleazy reason: he wanted to feel her skin under his fingers again.

Now the blood was gone, he could see the extent of the scarring to her stomach, the tops of her arms and legs. The scars had faded, now just faint white lines on her skin, but there were many of them, and the obvious deliberateness of them made Remus' stomach churn. Unable to look at the marks any longer, he pulled the sheet up, gently covering her.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he took her hand, looking down at her. In her sleep, her face was relaxed and peaceful. Remus wished he felt that calm: he didn't think he'd ever felt as scared in his life as he had tonight. He brushed her hair out of her eyes, then reached around to the nape of her neck and gently tugged the elastic band out of her hair, letting it fall loose. He combed his shaking fingers through it, spreading it across the pillow. It felt as soft, and smelt as good as he remembered and he let out a trembling breath.

Bringing her hand to his mouth, he kissed her softly, resting it against his cheek for a moment before whispering shakily into her skin, 'I can't lose you again, Krys. I don't know if I could survive it a second time.'

Fighting back tears, he held her hand to him for a few minutes until his tremors eased, a little stunned by the strength of his now not at all confused feelings. He still loved her - as deeply and as completely as he ever had.

He pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat down, putting a pillow behind his head. He didn't want her to wake up alone. As he closed his eyes, he recalled all the times she had sat with him or crawled into his bed after his transformations. He always seemed to heal quicker when she was with him, so the school nurse turned a blind eye as long as they didn't get up to anything else.

He smiled as he recalled Krystal's wandering hands on several evenings in Seventh Year, bringing him to climax under the sheets, giggling at his attempts to stay silent as he pressed his face hard into her neck. His smile got slightly broader when he remembered his own fingers reciprocating and how he would kiss her hard when she came, swallowing her cries of pleasure. Taking a deep breath, he reached out for Krystal's hand, missing the flash of pink as Tonks quietly shut the bedroom door.

* * *

Ron and Hermione sat in silence at the kitchen table; Fleur across from them, as Mr and Mrs Weasley spoke in urgent tones in the corner of the room. Ginny stood in the doorway, watching as Harry paced up and down the hall. After nearly an hour, the living room door opened and they watched as Bill and Lupin carried a still unconscious Krystal carefully up the stairs.

"Mum, can you bring the bowl and towels?" called Bill. Molly hurried after them as everyone crowded into the hall.

"Is she alright?" whispered Hermione to Harry. Harry shrugged.

"Alright everyone," said Arthur Weasley. "She's in good hands; you all need to eat." He shooed them back into the kitchen, as there came a knock on the door. He hurried to answer it as Fleur disappeared into the living room to clean up.

"It was my last hex that hit her, wasn't it?" Ron's face was pale beneath his freckles. "She sent us inside straight away; she didn't get up."

Hermione put her arm around his shoulders. "This is not your fault, Ron," she said firmly. "She'll be fine."

Harry heard voices in the hall and looked over. Through the kitchen door, he saw Mr Weasley talking to Tonks. Bill joined them and Harry jumped up quickly.

"Is she ok?" he asked Bill.

"She'll be alright, I think," he replied, rubbing his head. "She's lost a lot of blood but the wound is clean and closed. It's just lucky that I've come across that hex before and knew the healing spells….." his voice trailed off as he leaned towards the teenagers.

"I know what that spell was, and if you know what's good for you, you won't tell Mum," he warned them, he voice low as he heard his mother coming down the stairs.

When she joined them, she looked a little angry. "Where's Remus?' Tonks asked, looking up the stairs.

'He's just cleaning her up a little," she said in a slightly stilted tone. Tonks frowned and moved towards the stairs. Molly tried to take her arm, but the young woman shrugged her off, climbing quietly up the staircase.

"Let's all go and finish our meals shall we," said Molly, her eyes following Tonks until she disappeared down the landing.

"I'll get us all a drink," said Bill, "I know I need one."

Everyone picked at their meals in silence. After several minutes, Bill stood up.

"I'm going to bed. No, Mum. I'm not hungry," he said as Molly went to object. As he left the room, Arthur stood up.

"Come on Molly," he said. "Let's go too. There's nothing more we can do for her tonight." Mrs Weasley nodded and let her husband lead her out of the room.

"You three need to get some rest too." They nodded.

They remained in silence for what felt like hours before Harry stood and said, "I'm going to check on her."

"Don't bother." came a quiet voice from the doorway. They turned to see Tonks standing there; pale and sad looking.

"She's asleep. Remus……Remus is looking after her." Her jaw clenched as she turned and left the house.

The teenagers looked at each other then Hermione said, "I think that we should get some rest; we may have to work alone tomorrow."

Harry nodded and he and Ron followed Hermione up the stairs.

As they passed Krystal's room, they noticed the door slightly ajar. They could see Remus sleeping in a chair next to Krystal's bed; a pile of bloody towels on the table next to him. Hermione covered her mouth with her hand as they all realised how bad the injury must have been. Hermione turned and disappeared into the bathroom; Harry and Ron made their way up to their shared room.

There was no talking that night, Harry lying awake, startled at how worried he'd been for Krystal. He'd grown really fond of her and was disturbed by the evenings' events. He rolled over and wondered if it meant anything that Remus had been holding Krystal's hand, or whether it was just a gesture of support between old friends. Tonks had to have seen it as well. As he fell asleep, he groggily realised that Ron's usual snoring was absent.

* * *

Krystal's eyes stung as the bright light hit them the next morning. She blinked and groaned as she moved and a sharp pain shot through her. She lay still for a moment, trying to get her bearings. She turned her head and saw Remus asleep in a chair next to her bed. She frowned as she saw the pile of blood stained towels next to him. She suddenly remembered the events of the previous day.

Her hands moved slowly to her stomach, noting that she was wearing only her underwear, and she felt a folded towel there. She pulled the bed covers off and raised herself to her elbows, stifling the gasp of pain that tried to escape her lips. She looked down at the towel across her body; took a deep breath and held it, as she pulled the makeshift bandage away.

The breath she was holding hissed out from between her teeth as she saw the raw, red wound. She touched it gently, wincing a little as her still tender flesh prickled from the touch. She was startled when she heard a sleep roughened voice.

"It's not pretty, is it? You're lucky Bill was here. He closed it before you bled to death." Krystal fell back onto the pillows and looked at Remus, who was yawning.

"You used the dittany?' she asked, looking back down at the wound when he nodded, not seeing his eyes flick over her bra covered breasts.

'It didn't work,' he told her, wrenching his eyes back to her face, seeing her surprised expression. 'Bill said it doesn't work well on these Dark curses.'

'It's a modified blend. It should have stopped the flow of blood….It slowed the bleeding, right?' she asked. He nodded again.

"I guess I didn't get the mix right - I'm not a great potion maker,' she said, with a small smile. 'Thank you, Remus. Is Bill still here? I want to thank him too.'

Remus shook his head. "He's gone. He looked in on you early this morning before he left.' He stretched and leant forward, a little concerned about her still very pale face. 'You lost a lot of blood, Krys. Bill thinks you should see a Healer. So do I.'

"I have blood replenishing potions in my bag - just in case," she added as she saw the frustrated look on his face. "Could you…"

Remus stood and opened her closet as she struggled to sit up. He pulled out the bag and the book he found there. Sitting next to her on the edge of the bed, he rummaged around the contents of the bag, pulling out a leather pouch. He helped her sit all the way up, trying to ignore the way his body reacted when his hand grazed the side of her breast. He handed the pouch to her; watching as she pulled out a vial with a red label.

"This is it." She uncorked it and raised it in a mock salute. "Bottom's up!"

A begrudging smile twitched on Remus' lips as she threw her head back and swallowed the potion. He put the leather pouch back in her knapsack; his eyes falling on the book.

He flipped open the front cover. It was a photo album. He turned several pages; smiling at the baby featured in the photo's. He heard Krystal gasping; the potion was foul tasting and she grabbed a bottle of water from the table next to her. Remus kept flicking through the album; until he saw a photo of an older Krystal standing with Lily Evans, both of them posing for the camera.

He remembered this day. It was Krystal's birthday and they had all taken turns with the camera. He watched as the girls in the photo beckoned to him. He looked at the next photo, grinning as he saw his younger self squeezed in between the smiling girls.

Krystal was rummaging in the pouch again, pulling out another vial - a pain potion this time, and quickly lifting it to her lips. His eyes roamed over the other photo's on the page. James and Sirius smashing cake into each others faces; Krystal dancing with 2 girls from their year; a group shot of happy teenagers raising their glasses in front of a 'Happy Birthday' banner.

He turned to the last page in the album. There was only one photo on this page. His smile faded as he picked the book up off the bed and set it on his lap. He and Krystal were the only ones in this photo. They were sitting close together on a couch. He could see their lips moving. He watched as the young Remus raised his hand to brush the hair out of Krystal's eyes. Remus felt a flash of dé jà vu; he had done that again last night. The camera had captured the blush that had stained both their faces as his hand came in contact with the side of Krystal's face.

He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the heat that burned through him. He remembered this moment all too well; they had been dating for a few months by then, and both had decided that the time had come to take the next step. They'd made love for the first time that night; they'd both said 'I love you'.

He looked up to see Krystal staring at the photo, her face flushed. Her eyes moved up to meet his. He felt his breathing quicken as the room suddenly felt very small. She seemed too close; her skin burning his where they touched. His eyes slid unconsciously to her lips. He dragged his gaze back upwards; noticing she was also staring at his mouth. She looked up; blushing even pinker when she realised he had seen her.

Her saw her chest rapidly rise and fall and he became uncomfortably aware of her partially undressed state. Remus raised his hand, brushing his knuckles gently over her cheek, his gaze falling back to her lips. His touch became firmer, his hand running around to the back of her neck, as he drew closer as if hypnotised, his face lowering to hers. Before their lips could meet, a door slammed and the spell was broken.

Remus jumped up off the bed, flustered, the photo album sliding onto the covers. 'Jesus, we are still getting interrupted,' he thought before he came to his senses.

Krystal closed her eyes for a second, trying to control her rapid breathing. Remus saw how the near kiss had affected her as well , and felt heat burning through his veins.

"I should go. I'll come back later to see how you are," he said, his voice rough with desire, walking to the door. Krystal nodded, not trusting her voice. She heard Molly's quiet greeting to Remus and a second later she appeared in the doorway with a laden tray.

"Good morning. How are you feeling?" Molly put the tray down on the table next to Krystal's bed and put a hand on her forehead. "You're very flushed." Molly frowned.

"I'm alright," said Krystal hastily. "It's a little warm in here."

Molly took her hand off her forehead and looked closely at her. "Hmmm. Yes. Remus seemed a little pink in the face when he left as well." The remark was made lightly, but Krystal heard the underlying query.

"Thank you for breakfast," she said, choosing not to address the unspoken question. "Could I ask you to help me to the bathroom?"

She hated feeling so helpless; hated relying on others. Molly supported her as she used the bathroom and watched closely as Krystal insisted on walking herself back to bed. She put a bandage over the raw scar on Krystal's stomach before lending a hand as Krystal dressed. As she left the room, Krystal said softly, "Thank you Molly."

Molly smiled and pulled the door closed.

As she ate her toast, Krystal heard a light knock on the door and looked up as Harry poked his head into the room, a cautious expression on his face. She smiled and waved him into the room, seeing Hermione and Ron follow him.

"How are you feeling?" Harry asked, worriedly.

"I'm fine," she said cheerfully. "Remus and Bill did a great job patching me up. I might rest this morning though, and we'll continue the lessons this afternoon. I think I might lay off the spells today and show you some protective charms……"

She broke off as she saw the shocked looks on the teenagers' faces.

"You need to rest," Hermione admonished. "We can practice the Unforgivables and duelling….."

Krystal shook her head. "I'm really fine. Just let me have this morning off, and I'll be raring to go." Krystal smiled as she waved to them. "Go on. Go and practice and I'll see you after lunch."

Hermione and Harry smiled and walked out the door. Ron turned slowly and made to follow them.

"Ron," Krystal said. He looked back at her, a wary look on his face. "That was a strong hex you cast. You did well," she said softly.

He twisted around to face her. "I nearly killed you," he said his voice low and scratchy. "No, it was my own carelessness that nearly killed me," she said. "Lesson number one, remember. Never let your guard down. I was distracted and this," she indicated her stomach, "was my wake up call. Not your fault." Her voice was firm.

She smiled as he nodded. "Go on," she said turning back to her breakfast. "Bugger off now and let me eat my toast!"


	35. Chapter 33

**This might the last few a day or two - ENJOY! Leaving you something to think about. You'll curse Krystal and finally, he does something about that annoying pink haired cow!**

Chapter Thirty Three

Leaving the Burrow, Remus apparated to his home where he was fairly sure he would find Tonks waiting for him. He dragged his feet as he walked through the house to his bedroom. When Bill had looked in on Krystal early that morning, he told Remus that Tonks had been at The Burrow the night before and Remus instinctively knew she had seen him with Krystal. He felt as if there was a weight in the pit of his stomach. He was sure he knew what Tonks would ask him to do; what he should do. He saw her sitting on the unmade bed, gazing off into space. She turned as she heard him enter the room.

"How is she?" Her voice was neutral.

"She'll live - thanks to Bill," Remus said, leaning up against the wall opposite her. There were a few moments of silence then Tonks looked up at him.

'You didn't try to contact me to tell me you weren't coming back last night,' she said, accusingly.

Remus sighed. To be honest, he hadn't given Tonks, or the fact she might be worried, a second thought last night. Realising that this morning, had been the catalyst for his decision.

'I'm sorry,' he said, looking shamefaced. 'I was distracted. I forgot.'

"I've tried to be understanding about this,' she said. 'I've tried to be patient; to give you time to come to terms with her being back, but you spent the night next to her bed, holding her hand. You're asking too much now, Remus.' She looked up at him with angry eyes.

'I don't want you to see her again. Not for Harry's lessons; not for any reason."

Remus had expected the demand; he was surprised it had taken her this long to make it.

'Nothing has happened between us," he said, not quite believing his own words. "Not for a long time."

Tonks stood abruptly. "Don't lie to me!" Her voice was harsh and her face was angry. "I saw you with her last night. I saw how you looked at her; how you touched her. I heard you tell her you couldn't survive losing her again. You want her, don't even try to deny it,' she snapped, when he opened his mouth.

'You won't let me touch you. We haven't made love since the night she returned, Remus,' she said, her voice frustrated. 'And you were thinking of her that night, weren't you? Don't bother, I know the answer. You were a different person.'

'I haven't crossed the line, Tonks,' he insisted, knowing he'd come close though. 'I am still attracted to her, but we haven't…'

'You may not be sleeping with her, but don't tell me nothing's happening,' she interrupted loudly.

Her words sounded strangled as tears gathered in her eyes. Remus was pale.

"I understand that you loved her once and that it has been hard, confusing for you to see her again. But I'm your fiancée; we're supposed to be getting married. I'm asking you to make a choice now." She had regained control and stood tall as she gave him the ultimatum.

"I want us to go to the Ministry tomorrow. I want us to get married,' she said. 'We've put it off long enough.'

Remus stared at her. 'Tomorrow?' he asked, with a frown. 'Tonks….'

'I'm tired of waiting, Remus. I love you. I want to be your wife,' she said. 'I won't share you anymore. I want to have your whole heart.'

There was silence, then Remus said softly, 'I can't, Tonks. I'm sorry. I can't give you what you want.'

A look of comprehension came to her face as she looked at him. "Your heart was never mine, was it? Not really. It's always been with her."

Remus had closed his eyes as she spoke. He hated hearing the misery in her voice, but he wouldn't lie to her.

"I do love you, Tonks." He was telling the truth.

"I know, but it's not the same is it?" she said, looking into his eyes. He shook his head.

She reached under the bed and grabbed a suitcase packed with the belongings she kept at his place. She'd been prepared for this.

"I want you to love me like you love her; to look at me the way you look at her." She picked up the suitcase and faced him for the last time. "Can you do that?"

Remus shook his head again. He was sorry she was hurting like this; that he had done this to her, but he could no longer pretend his feelings for Krystal were confused. Bill was right: his heart knew what it wanted.

"No. I can't,' he said quietly.

She smiled sadly and walked over to him carrying the suitcase. 'It could be just the memories, Remus.' Her voice was pleading. 'Can you really be sure you love who she is now?'

He reached out to hold her shoulders. 'No, I can't be sure of anything. But there's enough of the girl I loved left that I have to find out. I've never let her go, Tonks. And even if she isn't the woman I loved; even if it doesn't work out….. you deserve better than a man who just can't get someone else out of his heart.'

He saw her face harden and the plea left her eyes. 'I'm sorry," he whispered.

"So am I." She kissed him on the cheek and moved to the door.

"Goodbye Remus," she said. And then she was gone.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Harry and Krystal were sitting on the grass watching as Ron and Hermione duelled in front of them.

"Stop!" called Krystal. They stopped and looked at her, both panting with exertion. "You're both still hesitating too much."

She struggled to her feet, her hand supporting her aching scar. "You are giving your opponent a chance to hit you. You need to be quicker; not so worried about hurting each other."

Ron glared at her. "I don't want to hurt Hermione…."

A frustrated Krystal sighed noisily. 'I know, but you aren't using any spells that will cause permanent damage. Ron, you need to keep your defences up. I'll show you what I mean."

She held up her hand and tried to conjure a Shield charm. A thin mist erupted from her hands but dissipated quickly. Behind her back, the Harry and Hermione exchanged shocked looks, while Ron's hand fell in surprise.

Krystal's jaw clenched as she tried again, with the same results. She screwed her eyes up and kept her mouth tightly closed to try and stop herself from screaming, both from frustration and pain. Fire had ripped through her new scar each time she tried the charm.

She inhaled deeply, and let the shaky breath go, before asking stiffly, "May I borrow a wand please?"

She felt a wand being pressed into her hand as a quiet voice close to her ear said, "Take mine."

She jumped a little, opening her eyes as she turned her head. She hadn't seen Remus come through the barriers. She did a double take as she caught sight of his face. He was pale and drawn; looking older than he had this morning.

"What's wrong?" she questioned, troubled by his obvious distress. He just shook his head and stepped back to join Harry and Hermione. Krystal saw Harry looking at Remus in concern; he too had noticed Remus' troubled face.

"Shield, Ron." Krystal warned him before she struck. She aimed a disarming spell at him. He quickly conjured a shield charm. Without waiting, Krystal shot a Stunner at him. Ron flung his arm up and the Shield Charm blocked the jinx, as Krystal threw a Body Bind hex. This last spell came too quickly for Ron, who couldn't get a shield up in time. He went stiff and fell to the ground. Krystal quickly murmured the counter jinx. She went to him as he stood up.

"Practice." She turned to the others. "All of you."

Hermione and Harry moved to where Ron was standing. Ron and Hermione paired up again while Harry watched, offering advice. Krystal walked to the edge of the barrier and sank to the ground, rubbing her stomach and cursing under her breath.

"You shouldn't be doing this. Your body is telling you it's not ready, you should listen to it." Remus said, sitting down, brushing up against her as he did.

Suddenly, the fire was in her arm, not her stomach. "It's fine. It's not unusual for this to happen after a shock or injury."

She fumbled in her pocket for a pain potion, drinking it quickly. Remus watched her with a frown, then moved his eyes to the ground.

Krystal noticed the tension in his shoulders as he pulled at the grass between them. He was obviously disturbed about something. She debated with herself for a second. Should she ask? Should she let her block slip?

'No,' she decided. 'It was none of her business. If he wanted to tell her, he would.'

He'd made her swear years ago that she'd never deliberately read his mind, and she'd always kept that promise.

She still held his wand and she ran it through her fingers distractedly, watching as Harry stepped up to battle Hermione. Remus watched her hands, feeling a tightening in his groin. A wand was a very personal belonging and the way she was running her fingers over it…..

Remus gritted his teeth in frustration. He hadn't felt such a lack of control over his body since he was fifteen and getting a hard on every time she was near him. He reached over and took his wand out of her hands - she was going to drive him crazy.

Krystal looked at him in surprise. It seemed his tension had increased.

"Remus…" she began.

He shook his head vigorously. "Just leave it for now, please, " he said, angling his head towards her but not meeting her eyes. 'We'll talk later, ok?'

She shrugged to herself and looked over at the students who had swapped partners. Harry and Ron were duelling now.

'They're doing well," she said, not hiding her surprise.

'They had a good teacher," commented Remus, also watching the teenagers battle.

'So I hear," she said cheekily. "They talk about this great D.A.D.A teacher they had at Hogwarts?"

Remus smiled. "Yeah, I heard good things about Dolores Umbridge…" His voice trailed off as she laughed and elbowed him in the ribs.

"Cut it out! They rave about you, Remus. You must know how jealous I am you got to teach?" He did, thinking again how she had been on his mind every day he was teaching, thinking how unfair it was she'd never got to do the job she was so looking forward to.

She turned to him. "They had really solid basic training. I can't take the credit for that." She was pleased to see that some of the stress had left his face.

"Yes, you can,' he replied, turning to look at her. 'I learnt more from you than I ever did in class: almost made it worth all the pain you put me through making me duel with you. I swear, I've still got bruises.'

She smiled at him. 'We did have a lot of fun though, didn't we? It was my favourite part of the week, spending time alone with you.' Her smile faded, and she flushed a little.

'Mine too,' he agreed quietly, feeling a prickling all over his skin.

"I bet you were a fantastic teacher,' she continued, not looking at him but getting slightly pinker with his words. "I remember you trying to help Peter with his homework all the time at school. You were always so patient and tolerant."

She sighed. "Everything I'm not. You know, I don't think I would have a particularly good teacher. I lack the basic personality requirements."

Remus smiled. "You're doing something right." He nodded towards Harry who was on the ground in the grip of the Body Bind hex Ron had slipped through Harry's shield.

She grinned.

"Well done, Ron!" Krystal called as she and Remus stood.

As they walked towards them, he grabbed her hand to slow her and moved his head towards hers, whispering, 'You would have been a great teacher, Krys.'

He let go of her hand and grinned as he walked past her, making her heart race.

* * *

Two hours later, Krystal brushed her hair off her face, then impatiently yanked the hair band out of her hair, finally giving up on retying it.

"That will do for today," she called, running a hand through her slightly damp hair, shaking it out.

'It really does need a cut,' she thought, realising it was nearly past her shoulder blades now.

Ron and Remus had been duelling, while Krystal was teaching Harry healing spells for some of the darker curses. Hermione was practicing casting protection charms; making the barrier around them flicker.

As the light from their wands faded and Hermione took down the barrier around them, Krystal said "You all worked really hard today and you've all improved. You should be proud of yourselves." All three of them grinned at her.

'It's not dark yet,' Hermione said, getting a hissed, 'Shh!' from the others. Remus laughed, and Krystal smiled a little distractedly.

'Yeah, I thought I'd give you an early night tonight. I've got a couple of jobs to do, so go on, off you go. Give Molly a chance to quiz you about what we've been up to. Save me some dinner," she called. "I'm might be a little late back. Ron…"

The red haired boy stopped and turned to her. She moved to stand next to him and smiled.

"You did really well today with the duelling. You kept your guard up and got through Harry's. I'm really proud of you."

Ron seemed to get a little taller at Krystal's praise.

"Thanks,' he said, looking down at his shoes with a blush staining his cheeks.

He followed the others into the house and Krystal turned.

She looked at Remus who was watching her with a indecipherable look on his face.

"I haven't thanked you for all your help. You didn't have to get involved in this, but I couldn't have done it without you. Not to mention that fact you saved my life."

Remus nodded and gave her a small smile.

"Well, I'll see you later," she said, confused by his lack of response. She turned her back on him. She felt his gaze on her as she walked away.

* * *

Krystal left the Weasley's home, apparating to Campbell Cottage. She appeared again on the verandah of the house, hands out as she looked around carefully. Casting a spell to check for any other human presence, nothing was revealed. She didn't really expect anyone to be watching the place; the Death Eaters wouldn't have found anything of interest or that would reveal who was living there. Putting her hand on the doorknob, she took a deep breath and opened the door.

Her breath escaped in a quick exhale as she took in the demolished house. She stood in the doorway, taking some deep breaths as she looked around. Her hand came up to her mouth to try and stop the sob of despair that threatened to burst out. Sinking down in the doorway, she leant her back against the frame, pulling her knees to her chest. She couldn't go inside, not yet. She couldn't face seeing the house she and Remus shared in such a state.

She blinked rapidly as she thought about the time they'd spent together here. They and their parents had cleaned every inch of the rundown cottage, and she and Remus had painted it one night, having to repaint after Remus had pushed her up against the wall, and they thoroughly ruined the job they'd done. Krystal smiled as she remembered they had spent their first week in various states of undress, in every room of the house.

'I know it's technically one room, but it's a living room, dining room and kitchen,' Remus had said one night as he lifted her onto the kitchen table. 'We really should do it in every area of the house - for good luck.'

A tear streaked down her cheek, and she brushed it away, feeling others follow it. Laying her head on her arms, she allowed the tears and the pain to come. Her mind was in turmoil; her body and heart ached. She needed space: she needed peace. She needed Remus. He always made her feel calmer; more grounded.

The thought raced through her mind, but she pushed it out. He wasn't hers anymore, and she only had herself to blame for that. The moment they had shared that morning had shaken her. She was trying hard to deny how she still felt about him, but it was getting more difficult the more time they spent together. It wasn't good for her to get too close; to want something she couldn't have so badly. Yet she couldn't help herself: she loved him. Her tears fell in earnest now, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed into her arms.

* * *

When he saw Krystal disappear through the enchantments, Remus swore under his breath. He'd really wanted to talk to her tonight, to tell her how he felt. He'd been a little tongue tied seeing her with her long hair loose and curling slightly around her pink face, and his mind had gone completely blank. He had always loved her hair down; loved to bury his face in it and breathe in that scent and she'd looked just like she did after sex - pink, glowing, ruffled. Sighing, he tried to talk his erection into disappearing as walked up to the house to say goodbye to the teenagers. They had gone up to change and shower; Fleur and Bill greeted him when he entered the kitchen.

'Remus, what do you think?' she asked, showing him a menu he assumed was for the wedding. He glanced over the list of food and gave it back to her with a smile.

'Looks good,' he said, distractedly. Bill laughed.

'That was my reaction too,' he said, laughing again at Fleurs' annoyed face. She flounced out of the room, muttering under her breath.

Bill looked over at Remus who was fiddling with a spoon, spinning it on the table. 'Missing your playmate?' he asked, smiling at Remus when he looked up at him. He sighed, flicking the spoon and sending it halfway across the table.

'She had some stuff to do. I just……really wanted to talk to her today,' Remus said, with a frown.

Bill looked at him thoughtfully. 'So, you'd probably pay a lot of money to know where she was right now, huh?' he asked, staring at him.

Remus blinked. 'Do you know where she is?' he asked, hopefully.

'As a matter of fact, she told me where she was going, just in case something happened,' returned Bill, grinning at the look on Remus' face.

'Bill, I will do anything you want,' he promised, rising out of his chair. 'Please, tell me.'

'You and Tonks?' Bill asked, wanting to know the state of his relationship with the pink haired woman.

'I told her - it's over,' he said, grabbing his cloak off the back of the chair. 'I love Krys, Bill. I never stopped.'

Bill stood up. 'She's gone back to the cottage,' he said, startled when Remus flew around the table and hugged him quickly.

'Thank you,' he called as he ran out of the room.

* * *

He disapparated the second he was free of the enchantments, appearing again in the trees that ringed the cottage. Moving quickly, wand out, he made his way to the house. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, seeing Krystal sitting in the doorway, crying. Walking quickly up the stairs, he sank down next to her.

'Krys?' he said softly, seeing her jump and lift her head abruptly.

'God, you scared the hell out of me,' she said, putting her hand on her chest, then wiping her face quickly.

'You alright?' he asked, putting his hand on her knee, feeling her twitch when he made contact. She nodded.

'It was a bit of a shock,' she said, looking inside the house. 'Seeing everything we worked so hard on destroyed…'

She took a deep breath, trying to regain some control. She was shaking, both with emotion and the feel of his hand on her.

Abruptly, she turned to him. 'How did you know where I was?' she said, frowning at him.

'Bill,' he said, simply, seeing her shake her head.

'Prat,' she muttered, hearing Remus laugh.

She stood up, feeling stronger with him here, but not wanting him to stay in this house with her. Too many memories. She looked at him properly as he also stood, and was startled by his expression.

Krystal could see that the misery she'd seen in his face earlier had gone. He looked at her now with an intensity that made her heart rate speed up and her stomach twist. She felt a little frustration with herself and her lack of self control. Wasn't she too old for all these raging hormones?

'Well, I'd better get on with it,' she said, indicating the inside of the house. 'I just wanted to see if I could salvage anything at all.'

She stepped into the house, halting again as she saw the full extent of the disaster, swallowing hard. Remus saw how badly this was upsetting her, and stepped up behind her, slipping his hand into hers, and squeezing.

'I'd like to stay and help, if you don't mind,' he said, frowning as he saw the mess, thinking it looked even worse than he remembered.

Krystal looked at him, withdrawing her hand from his. 'It's fine, Remus,' she said, walking further into the house, towards the bedroom. 'You should get home.'

She opened the door, took a look then shut it again, closing her eyes briefly. It was destroyed.

Remus walked over to pick up the remains of a picture; the canvas slashed, the frame broken into splinters. He looked at it, seeing the moment they'd hung it in his mind. Dropping it, he kicked at some indistinguishable debris on the floor, looking over to see Krystal running her hand over the kitchen table, tears shining in her eyes.

He walked over to her, cursing when he saw the table he'd worked on for almost a week, covered in graffiti, chunks gouged out of it.

'God, Krys, I'm sorry,' he said, running his hand over her back. It had been her grandmother's table, and he'd sanded it back and stained it for them to use. Krystal's lip shook a little, but she shrugged, stepping away from him.

'It's just stuff, right?' she said shakily, as she opened the smashed kitchen cupboards to see if there was anything worth saving.

'No,' he said, looking down at the table. He could make out the word 'Bellatrix' burnt into the table and he felt a bit shaky himself, but it was with anger not sadness.

'It's not just stuff. It's memories, and those bastards did it to us again.'

He kicked a broken chair suddenly and violently, sending it across the room.

'They've already cost us eighteen years, what else are they going to take from us?' he yelled, his temper rising, feeling himself out of control.

'She took you, she took Sirius. I swear to you, Krys, I will kill Bellatrix if I get my hands on her.'

Krystal was shocked by Remus' show of anger. She'd never seen him lose control like that, and his loss was her gain. She approached him, as he kicked some of the second broken chair, making it skid across the floor.

Putting her hand on his arm, she said, 'Remus, don't do this. Please, honey. It won't change anything. She just wins.'

Breathing hard, he turned to look at her, gazing at her with the same intense look he'd worn earlier. He moved closer to her and put his hand to her face, running his thumb over her cheek.

'You called me 'honey',' he murmured, a small smile flitting across his lips.

'Shit!' she thought, 'I did, didn't I?'

'I'm sorry, Remus,' she gasped, feeling an ache begin in her lower body as his thumb moved over her jaw. 'I wasn't thinking, I just….'

Her words were lost as his lips found hers, kissing her firmly. The feel of his mouth on hers sent a surge of heat and emotion through her that nearly made her pass out with it's force. It wasn't until she felt his lips part and move on hers, that she could respond, and she did so without thinking, kissing him back.

She heard him moan a little into her mouth as her hands slid up his chest to his head to hold him to her. He tipped his head so he could better access her lips, and he moved his hand to the back of her head. As Remus deepened the kiss, it was Krystal's turn to moan as she felt his tongue flick at hers. She'd dreamed about this moment since she left, without ever believing it would actually happen.

Remus' hands moved: one to tangle in her hair and one to her back, pulling her against him hard as their kiss became hungrier, their breathing ragged. He had never imagined he'd be kissing her again, and it was an overwhelming sensation, making his chest tighten and his legs shake. He was feeling dizzy, and he didn't ever want to let go of her.

Moving backwards, he pushed her up against the kitchen table, hands running down to her ass to lift her to sit on it, parting her legs and pressing himself against her. He groaned when he felt her heat, and felt her lift herself into him, her legs going around him to pull him closer. His mouth moved across her cheek, and his hands came up under her shirt, revelling in the feel of her bare skin. He felt her hands clutch at his shirt, but then she was pushing him away.

'No, Remus,' she mumbled, sliding down off the table and pulling herself out of his grasp.

Feeling his hands on her bare back had sent a shock through her, bringing her to her senses. She moved away, walking outside onto the veranda, running a shaky hand through her hair. Collapsing into the old sofa, she buried her face in her hands, trying to get her breathing under control. He was engaged, for God's sake. He loved someone else. And as much as she wanted him, it wasn't going to be at the expense of his relationship.

She felt the couch dip as Remus sat next to her, silently waiting until she was ready to face him.

"Don't you have a fiancée to get home to?" she said hoarsely, her head still in her hands.

"Nope," he said grimly, watching her. "She's gone."

Krystal frowned, looking over at him. She wasn't sure she'd understood him correctly. 'I don't understand.'

Remus reached over and took her hand. 'She wanted my whole heart,' he said, looking at her. 'I couldn't give it to her - it belongs to you, Krys. It always has.'

'No, Remus,' she said, her heart hurting as she said what she knew she should. '"Too much has happened between us. You have a life with someone else now. You are going to marry her.'

He shook his head, raising her hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing it softly. 'I never really let go; never stopped hoping you'd come back to me. I love you, Krys."

The softly spoken words made her heart hurt; her eyes closed as the very real physical pain nearly dropped her.

'I don't deserve you, Remus. I don't deserve to feel happy again.' She saw him frown and open his mouth, but she spoke quickly.

'Go back to Tonks, Remus. She can bring you some stability; some peace." She raised her hand and touched his face. "You won't look at her and see the woman who gave you those scars."

Remus shook his head. "Whatever happens with you and me, it's over between Tonks and I." His face tightened as she dropped her hand from his face. He grasped her face in his hands, pulling her to him, kissing her hard.

He pulled away, but left his forehead resting against hers. "I won't let you leave me again, Krys. I'll fight for you this time." he said, his voice quiet but fierce.

She shook her head, and he whispered, "Everything in me is telling me that this is right; that this is how it was always meant to be."

At his words, Krystal closed her eyes, leaning against him for a moment.

'God, please give me the strength to walk away from him,' she prayed. 'Before I hurt him any more.'

She turned her head and pressed his hand to her mouth. She kissed his palm, trying to memorise the feel and taste of his skin. A tear escaped down her cheek. 'Go back to Tonks.'

"Krys…" he pleaded, his voice breaking.

"I love you," she said as she stood, and pulled her hand out of his grasp. She looked at him with tear filled eyes.

'Too much to let you make a mistake like this.'

She walked down the stairs, then turned on the spot and disappeared.

Remus put his head in his hands, screwing his face up against the tears that burnt his eyes, remaining like that for several minutes. Suddenly, he lifted his head and took a deep breath.

'She still loves me,' he said to himself, a smile beginning to form on his lips. And given her response to his kiss earlier, she still wanted him as much as he wanted her. His faint smile turned into a grin. As long as she still felt like that about him, he was in with a chance. It was time to fight for her.


	36. Chapter 34

**We learn about what happened to Krystal in the years after she left Remus.**

**WARNING: Loads of angst! Mentions of torture, self harm and mental breakdowns But after the angst comes the lovin'. Keep reading and reviewing or I just might take a sabbatical...somewhere with no computers...**

Chapter Thirty Four

Harry, Ron and Hermione were making their plans to leave on their search for the Horcruxes after Bill and Fleur's wedding. Krystal found that, not for the first time, her thoughts drifted to Remus while she was trying to plan the day's lessons.

After that night at the cottage, he had not returned to The Burrow. She hadn't seen him for three days and didn't expect to see him today. Which was probably a good thing, but she still felt as though she had lost him all over again.

Fleur had been chattering non stop about wedding arrangements. The two women had become friends over the last couple of weeks. Fleur was delighted to have a female to talk to who was closer to her own age than her future mother-in-law; and much to Krystal's surprise, she enjoyed Fleur's company, despite the constant wedding talk, to which Krystal had been paying little attention this morning.

Chipping in with an "Uh huh!" and a "That's great" occasionally seemed to be keeping Fleur happy. As Krystal stood to wash her breakfast dishes, Fleur was moaning about the guest list and seating plans. Apparently someone had decided not to attend and sent the arrangements into disarray.

"It is so inconsiderate of that Tonks." Fleur was ranting now. "Remus is still coming. We don't have to seat them together, but she is insistent. Now we have an empty seat and…….."

"Tonks isn't coming to the wedding?" Krystal asked, her head snapping up.

Remus said that Tonks had left, but she thought the young woman would come back to him once he told her it was over between the two of them. She'd assumed Remus' absences were because he was busy planning his wedding again; that he'd asked Tonks to forgive him.

"No. Haven't you been listening? Tonks and Remus have split up and now I have got no one to take her place……"

Fleur stopped talking, staring at Krystal, who was still trying to get her head around the fact that Remus was now single; available. That he had told her the truth - even though she'd told him she couldn't be with him, it really was over between him and Tonks.

Fleur squealed, startling Krystal out of her reverie. "But of course!" she exclaimed. "You will take Tonks place at the wedding. It is perfect!"

"No. No, that's not a good idea, Fleur," she said, a little horrified at the suggestion. Looking for an escape, she saw Harry walking past the kitchen door. "There's Harry, I have to go."

She almost ran out of the kitchen, catching up with Harry on the porch.

"Hey!" He greeted her and stepped down onto the lawn. "So, what's the plan for today? Shields, duels, healing spells….."

"Torture techniques," said Krystal as she leant over the railings.

Harry laughed until he caught her eye. "You're joking, aren't you?" he said, looking a little scared.

"Unfortunately not," she said. "I don't really want to do this, but there's a reasonable chance you are going to either see this, need to do this, or be a victim of this during your mission." She shook her head. "You've got to be ready for any eventuality."

Harry nodded, with a shell shocked look on his face. He moved to stand beside her on the porch.

After a minute of silence he looked sideways at her. "Is Remus coming today?" he asked, his tone casual.

"I don't believe so," she said, trying to match his tone. "Today's going to be tough Harry. Physically and mentally. Some of these hexes……" She stopped, unable for a moment to form the necessary words.

"You used them on my parents and Sirius?" He said it calmly, but the words still stung. She nodded.

"And Remus?"

"Yes." The word came out shaky.

Harry snuck another look at her. "Is that why he isn't going to be here today?"

Krystal bit her lip. "No."

Harry turned around to face her. "I know he and Tonks aren't together anymore. Do you have anything to do with that?" The question was asked without judgement.

"How did you know they'd split up?" She decided to ignore his question for the moment, wishing she'd never promised she wouldn't lie to him.

"I hear things," he said with a smile, knowing exactly what she was doing. "My question?"

Krystal sighed, arms folded defensively, her face so sad that Harry wanted to hug her. "I'm pretty sure I did," she said softly.

"Do you love him?" he asked in a low voice.

Krystal looked at him. He saw her jaw clench as her eyes suddenly turned shiny with tears. "With all my heart."

She whispered the words, but Harry heard them. "Then you should be together,' he stated firmly.

Krystal shook her head, blinking, as she replied, "You know our past, Harry. It's not that simple."

"You love him, he loves you,' he said matter of factly. "Sometimes it _is_ that simple."

Krystal looked at him with a small smile on her face. "You may look like James, but you are so much like your mother. She said very similar words to me once many years ago."

Harry smiled at her. 'Hermione mentioned once that you probably would've been my godmother,' he said, hoping he wasn't upsetting her.

But she smiled back at him and nodded, lifting herself up to sit on the top of the rail, watching through the kitchen window as Fleur fussed around rearranging the seating plan.

'Yeah, I probably would've been,' she agreed, as he settled on top of the railing next to her. 'When we were little, Lily and I used to talk a lot about how we would never lose touch, how we would have lots of babies and they'd grow up together, just like we did. We used to lay awake at school and talk at night, planning our lives; especially after we got boyfriends. Poor James and Remus,' she said with a slightly sad smile. 'We didn't give them much of a say in their own futures, I'm afraid.'

'She did really love my dad, didn't she?' Harry asked, an old concern rising again. 'I know she hated him for a long time...'

Krystal smiled. 'She really did, Harry. Once she gave him a chance, she knew he was the one.' He smiled, a little relieved.

'And did you know? With Remus?' he asked gently. She quickly looked at him, then smiled sadly.

'Yes. I knew he would be special to me from that first night at school, and I remember the moment I fell in love with him, even if I didn't realise what had happened at the time.'

She blinked away the sheen that had covered her eyes, recalling the moment on the school train at the beginning of their Fourth Year when he'd smiled and she suddenly began to look at him in an entirely different way.

'Life doesn't always turn out as planned, I guess.'

'That's true,' Harry murmured, kicking the railings behind him. 'But you've got a choice now, haven't you? You can keep living the way you have been or you could choose to live the life you wanted with someone you love.'

'It wouldn't be the life I wanted for Remus or me,' she said unhappily. 'Too much has happened. I did horrendous things to him, Harry…'

'And he's forgiven you, Krys,' Harry said, his voice rising a little. 'If he can forgive you, can't you forgive yourself?'

Krystal frowned, looking down at the patio.

'Haven't you lost enough time together?' Harry tried again. 'You love each other. Why keep hurting him and yourself by pushing him away? You've got another chance to be together. Why are you wasting it?'

She didn't look up, silent for several moments before she raised her head. 'I asked Albus if you could come and live with me after your mum and dad died, you know.'

He looked startled and she let out a breath of laughter.

'Looking back, I'm glad he said no. He always knew me better than I knew myself - he could see what a mess I still was, that I hadn't even remembered all that had happened. I would have been a really crappy guardian, but someone did a hell of a good job with you, Harry.'

Harry smiled and leaned over a little, grasping her hand. 'Maybe it would've helped if he'd agreed - you not being so alone,' he said softly, and she couldn't help but think he may be right. She may have been a little less selfish; a little less self indulgent about her pain if she'd had someone to look after.

'You turned out pretty good, considering what you had to deal with from Tuney.' He laughed hearing his aunt's nickname, and she smiled too. 'She always was a cow, Harry. Forget You Know Who, it's a sign of strength that you survived living with her,' she said.

Harry chuckled, and was about to ask more when Ron and Hermione came bursting out of the front door. Harry and Krystal slid down onto the porch.

Krystal said, "Ok!," and clapped her hands together. "Let's get started."

* * *

She turned to walk down the stairs, but froze when she saw him just a few feet away. She could tell from the look on his face as he stared at her that he'd heard her and Harry talking.

"Hi Remus!" said Harry, darting a glance at Krystal as he walked past her. "Didn't expect to see you today."

Remus smiled at him. Staying away for the last few days had been the hardest thing he'd ever done but he wanted to give Krys time and space, hopefully to start missing him.

"Well, I thought I'd better check up on you lot,' he said to Harry. 'I know what a handful Krystal can be."

His eyes flicked to her, and she swallowed hard, feeling a little weak when she saw the ill disguised longing there. She grasped the rail hard as she walked down the stairs.

Remus saw the flush that stained her cheeks when he looked at her and felt hope rise in him. Maybe he wasn't going to have to work as hard as he thought to get her back. Maybe Harry had done some of the work for him.

Harry and Ron grinned at him, but Hermione approached Remus with a look of trepidation on her face. "I was sorry to hear about you and Tonks, Remus," she said quietly. The men's smiles faded, and Remus blinked, turning to the young girl.

"It's for the best, Hermione." Remus said firmly. He looked at Krystal. "So, what are we doing today?"

Harry answered for her. "Torture techniques." He watched Remus closely as he spoke.

Remus looked at him and then back at Krystal. He nodded, his face calm. "Let's get going then."

He raised the barriers around them. "What do you want to start with?"

Krystal looked at him. "You don't want to be here today," she said, a plea in her voice.

"I have nowhere else to be," he replied. "Now, how do you want to do this?"

She looked at the teenagers, her face pale then said in a low voice, "Remus is going to perform some hexes on me. They are dark spells; they are meant to torture; they are meant to drive a person out of their mind. This isn't going to be easy to watch, or to do. Yes Hermione," she said, reading the thoughts of the younger woman who was looking at her with wide, frightened eyes. "I expect you to perform these hexes on me today."

She turned away from her and looked Harry and Ron. They were both looking a little ill, but nodded.

"I want to show you these potions first."

She took the pouch from her pocket and chanced a glance at Remus. His face betrayed his unease, but also his determination to do this her way. She turned back to the trio and held up the leather pouch.

"If the hex is held for too long, it will cause harm; to my body and my mind. These dittany's and potions can help limit the damage. I have written the names of the hexes they are used to counteract on the bottles. If I am incapable of doing it myself, you must make sure you give me the correct potion for the hex. Remus knows the counter spells for the hexes that potions won't cure."

She looked around her. Remus' jaw was set. "Ok. Let's do this."

* * *

She moved away from them until she was standing opposite Remus. "Cruciatis Curse first," she said, taking a deep breath and steeling herself.

Remus raised his wand, looking her straight in the eye. "Crucio!" he yelled, and a jet of red light shot from his wand, hitting Krystal directly in the chest.

She fell to the ground with a scream, her body twisting and turning. Remus raised his wand after only a second, his face visibly distressed as he turned away. Krystal lay on the ground for longer, panting. She slowly rose to her feet, pale but determined.

Her heart nearly broke when she saw Remus' turned back, his hands on his head as he took deep breaths, trying to compose himself. Unable to offer him comfort, she turned to her students, who looked scared to death.

"Right. Hermione, you first. Yes!" she insisted as Hermione shook her head. "Forget you know me, forget who I am. You have to mean this spell or it won't work. You have to want to cause pain."

Hermione shook her head. "I can't," she said, nearly in tears.

"Hermione…." Krystal began but the young girl shook her head again.

"Fine,' said Krystal, and she raised her hand and cast a red stream of light at the younger woman. It hit Hermione in the chest and she screamed, falling to the ground, writhing as Krystal had.

"Hermione!" Ron yelled, as Krystal lifted the spell. Hermione lay on the ground, tears streaming from her eyes as Ron dropped down next to her. Remus was staring at Krystal as she crouched down next to Ron, taking Hermione's hand and pulling her to her feet.

'A Death Eater is not going to hesitate to use this spell on you, Hermione,' she said, 'You have to be prepared to do the same.'

Hermione wiped her face as she looked at Krystal. "I don't know if I can,' she replied.

Krystal looked at her, hating herself for what she was teaching these kids.

"You don't have a choice, Hermione. Do you ever want to feel that pain again?" Hermione shook her head, and Krystal said, "You know what you need to do then."

She backed away, aware of Remus' eyes on her, but refusing to meet his gaze, saying, "Ron, you seem pretty pissed at me. Why don't you try now?"

Ron raised his wand at Krystal with no hesitation.

"Crucio!" he yelled. The spell knocked Krystal to the ground with a shriek, but she didn't writhe in pain like she did before. Remus twitched as she hit the ground, but stayed where he was. She stood, leaning over with her hands on her knees and looked up at Ron.

"Not bad for your first time. You knocked me down, but I recovered too quickly. You need to hold on to your anger and use it. Indignation isn't going to cut it. Harry, your turn." She stood up straight and turned to face him.

He looked at Remus and then back at Krystal. "Find your anger, Harry and use it," she said. He tried the curse but the red light faded before it hit her.

"C'mon Harry!' she urged, voice low and impatient, not seeing Remus' startled look in her direction. Harry tried again, with no more success.

"That's alright, Harry,' began Remus. "We can try again later."

But Krystal shook her head. "No, he needs to be able to do this - he can't let emotion get in the way. People aren't always what they seem, Harry. Even people you think you know can betray you. You have to be able to do this - even to someone you love."

Remus saw her breathe deeply before she walked over to stand in front of Harry. She put her hands behind his head, drawing it to hers.

She whispered in his ear, "Your father was my friend. He trusted me but I used this very curse on him. I stood there and held it as I watched him scream. I didn't stop until he passed out from the excruciating pain.

Remus heard what Krystal said to Harry, and, as she backed away from him, he looked at her pale face. Her eyes were flashing silver, with visible self disgust, but also something else - a strange anticipation.

She yelled at Harry, "You know what I did! Now, do it, Harry! Hurt me like I hurt him!"

Harry raised his wand as the realisation hit Remus. This wasn't about training. She was punishing herself.

"Crucio!" Krystal flew into the air before she screamed, a horrible sound. Remus lurched at Harry and grabbed his arm, forcing him to break the spell as she hit the ground.

"That's enough," he said loudly.

Krystal was laying still on the grass; the only part of her moving was her chest; heaving up and down as she fought for breath.

"Enevate." Remus shakily pointed his wand at her.

She began to stir, groaning as she moved her limbs. Slowly, she stood up and walked over to Harry, who was shaking, still stunned by the strength of his spell. She ran her hand over his hair then rested her forehead against his.

"I'm sorry, Harry."

He nodded, patting her shoulder with a trembling hand. "I know," he murmured shakily.

She could see Remus staring at her, his breathing was laboured as he struggled with himself. His lips moved, forming her name but no sound came out. Krystal looked at him, touching his arm briefly as she moved to the bag of potions and pulled one out. She downed it in one, and when she stood, she moved easier and faster. "Alright, let's move on."

* * *

For the next hour, they continued. Remus finally called a halt after Krystal took her third potion, and he'd healed her broken ribs for the fourth time.

"Go in and get some lunch," he ordered the others, barely able to hide his anger from them. When they had gone, he raised the imperturbable barriers again.

He knelt on the ground next to Krystal. "Was all that necessary?" he said, ice in his voice as he packed up the potions.

She looked at him through still slightly glazed eyes. "They needed to see; to be able to use them, even if they are scared. Now they can." He shook his head. "We'll keep going after lunch…"

She broke off as Remus threw the potion pouch on the ground. "What's really going on here?" he yelled, standing up abruptly. "You were goading Harry, daring him to hurt you. Are you trying to punish yourself? Trying to even the score?"

Krystal stood to face him and he grabbed her arms, pulling her towards him. "Do you know how I felt doing that to you? To have to hurt you like that?' he hissed, tears in his eyes.

"Yes I do,' she said, softly.

Her quiet response shocked him into silence as she said, "I know exactly what it's like to hurt someone you love."

She pulled herself out of his grasp and her voice rose. "I know what it feels like to use a Cruciatis curse and watch a friend scream; or to break their bones one by one; or rip open their face with my hands, knowing they won't fight back!"

She was shaking violently and tears streamed down her face, as she felt something begin to crack inside of her.

"Am I trying to punish myself?" She began to laugh, an awful, hysterical laugh. "Of course I am!" She lifted her shirt and exposed her scars.

"I've been trying to make amends for years, but I can't. I can't! No matter what I did, it never stopped hurting; I can never forget now.'

Remus went pale as he suddenly understood how she'd gotten those scars.

'You're right, Remus. I wanted… I wanted them to hurt me. I thought, if they hurt me enough, I could forget again, just for a little while."

'Krys,' he moaned, pulling her to him, absorbing her kicks and punches as she fought him hard. 'Stop fighting me, Krys. I'm not going anywhere. Tell me. Honey, tell me.'

He kept a tight hold on her, feeling her finally stop struggling, putting her head on his chest, breathing heavily. Remus ran his hands over her shoulders, trying to offer her comfort, and allowed his head to drop against hers. They stood like that for a while, then Krystal began to speak, her head still resting on him, drawing strength from him.

'Before he came to see you that night, Albus gave me a potion to sleep, and when I woke, I didn't remember anything; my mind just buried it all. Albus..…he tried to protect me when I asked why I was there. He told me I was being hunted; that I was in hiding and that you all believed I was dead; that it would place you all in too much danger to return, even after You Know Who disappeared. He didn't tell me about mum and dad, or what I'd done to you all. Just that Severus had come to him to try and save me, and that together they had gotten me out. I argued with him…'

She let out a half laugh/half sob. 'I told him I would never join the Dark Lord; that I could never hurt any of you. All the arguments I'd just proven wrong.'

Remus' hand moved to her head, cradling it as he pressed a kiss to her hair. 'I begged him again to let me contact you…' her voice broke off, and she felt tears burning her eyes.

'I didn't remember anything for so long. My memories were all dark, shadowy. I would have nightmares; the same one over and over. Blood, everywhere. Bright red, all over my hands. But I couldn't remember anything else.'

He felt her legs shaking and knew they couldn't hold her, so he sank to the ground, still holding her tight in his lap.

'After Lily and James died, I started to see their faces again. I could hear them screaming, I could hear Lily begging me to stop. I saw Sirius; I heard his bones breaking in my dreams. But I still couldn't remember you, or my parents.'

Stroking her hair, he closed his eyes, trying to absorb the pain that radiated from her; trying to take some of it away.

'I didn't understand what I was seeing. I went to a mediwizard, a memory retrieval specialist, and they took nearly a year to uncover the memories; they were buried so deep.'

She shook, violent tremors shaking her. 'I don't know what they did, but suddenly, one day I remembered everything. Hurting all of you; my parents' bodies; You Know Who touching me; seeing into his mind; killing the Death Eaters.'

She pressed her head harder into his shoulder. 'I woke up screaming during that session, and that was the last thing I knew for six months. I came out of it in hospital; the healers had admitted me into the mental ward. I'd protected myself all those years for a reason: I lost my mind, Remus. I was almost comatose for half a year.'

Remus felt hot tears beginning to roll down his cheeks, falling unchecked into her hair. How she had suffered for her choice, for trying to save them.

'They took my memories, helped me remember bit by bit this time, making sure I came to terms with each new piece of information before giving me more. I was in hospital for almost two years before they'd release me.'

She pulled away from him a little, looking at his face for the first time; the scars she'd given him. 'I knew what I'd done to you now, and that was the one thing I had the most trouble coping with.'

She seemed to be gasping now, having trouble breathing. 'It hurt too much. I kept seeing myself sending that curse at you, your blood on your face. One day, I decided I needed to feel what you'd felt.'

She let out a sob, and he felt her hand move to her scared stomach.

'Once I started cutting, the pain began to ease. It was easier than feeling it, so I kept cutting after every nightmare.'

'I cut too deep one day,' she said, raising her sleeve and showing him the nasty looking scar Bill and he had uncovered previously. He frowned, his face anguished as he raised his shaking hand. Tracing the long scar with his finger, he blinked against the fresh tears that arose.

'If Albus hadn't found me, I would have bled to death.' She shook her head despairingly. 'To this day, I don't know if I did it deliberately or not.'

She shuddered now, and he pulled her closer to him, holding her head against his chest. 'I blamed him for a long time. If he'd only told me years earlier what I could become, I might have been able to stop it; learnt to fight against the shadows….' She shook her head.

'I had more counselling, and eventually began to accept responsibility for what I'd done; to try and not dwell on it; to try to begin to forgive myself. I learnt to not hide from pain, to accept that tears aren't a weakness. It took a long time to come out from under all that, but I finally did. Then Albus told me he wanted me to come back, and I knew I'd have to face it all over again.'

'God, I wish Albus had told me,' he said, his voice rough with grief for all that she'd been through. 'I would've come to you; I would have helped you.'

Krystal shook her head. 'I didn't deserve your help. What I did to you….' she began.

'Krys!' he exclaimed loudly, trying to get her to listen to him. 'I've spent hours and hours over the past few weeks thinking about what you told me about that night. I kept going over it in my head, looking for another way you could have dealt with it.' Remus shook his head.

'I couldn't find one. I thought about what I would have done if our positions were reversed. How I would have felt if it had been my parents killed? My friends threatened? The woman I loved most hunted? Would I have run? Hoped that Albus could protect you, despite all evidence to the contrary?'

He held her face in his hands and made her look at him. 'I couldn't have run either, Krys. I couldn't have let you be taken. What other choice was there?'

'There was another,' she said, her voice low. 'And I would have taken it. I asked him to do it, but he couldn't. He owed me a life debt, he couldn't kill me.'

Remus let out a shaky breath. 'You asked Severus to kill you?' he asked, his face pained.

She nodded. 'I told you all I wasn't a coward, but I was prepared to take the coward's way out.'

She looked at his tear streaked face, and her own face began to crumple. 'I'm so sorry I did this to you, Remus. The last thing I ever wanted to do was cause you pain.'

'I know,' he said, pulling her to him. 'I know. You don't have to apologise, Krys. I understand. And I don't think I would have done anything else in your position.'

She shook her head, and he ran a hand over her hair, smoothing it.

'Bones heal, Krys. Cuts heal. Nothing can bring back the dead. You gave us a chance. You saved our lives.'

He felt the tension in her shoulders and knew she was trying to hold back her tears. 'Krys, let it go now. Don't hang onto it. I want to help you. Let me help you. '

He heard a sob, quickly stifled. He bent his head and kissed her on the side of her face, leaving his lips there as he whispered, 'I never stopped loving you, Krys. Not for a second.'

Her shoulders began to shake as he hugged her to him, sobbing into his chest. The dam that had been threatening to break ever since her return, finally gave way. All the grief that had built up over the years spilling out for both of them. He cried with her; and their combined tears healed that which was broken.


	37. Chapter 35

**Thanks The Fleaks, MoonNightLover and alymacron for reviews. Hugs and kisses to you.**

**WARNING: Bribery ahead. I will give you hot, hot lovin' in exchange for a mere review...I know! A small price to pay.**

Chapter Thirty Five

Time moved quickly and soon it was the day before Bill and Fleurs' wedding and a pre wedding dinner had been planned. Harry and the others were bruised and exhausted from their training, and they nearly shed tears of joy before lunch when Krystal said she would be giving them the afternoon off, she and Remus laughing at their relief.

"But first," she said, causing them to look at each other in panic. "I want to show you how to contact me when you need me. It won't hurt,' she added, laughing a little as they visibly relaxed.

She glanced up at Remus as she put her hands on Harry's head. There was a small worried frown on his face: placing a trace on an adult was illegal, even with their permission. If the Ministry found out, Krystal could end up in Azkaban.

His eyes met hers over Harry's head, and he gave her a small smile. Krystal smiled back, trying to reassure him. She looked down at Harry and closed her eyes, her mouth moving as she murmured the incantations to create the trace. Her hands glowed blue as she spoke, the light spreading until it surrounded her and Harry. As Krystal took her hands away, the light seemed to absorb into their bodies.

Remus grasped his wand tighter, prepared if the Ministry detected the use of the spell. He saw that Krystal, too, looked around nervously as she said, "I just put a Trace on you. Only I can use it to find you and you can use it to call me if you need me. It's a connection between our minds only, activated when you ask for help."

She looked around again before she repeated the charm twice more for Ron and Hermione.

"Alright. Now think of me and ask for help."

The trio closed their eyes, and each wore a look of concentration: Ron looking a little like he needed the bathroom. They started, and their eyes flew open as Krystal swore loudly, grabbing at her head as their combined voices reverberated through her skull.

"Stop!' she gasped, quickly putting up the block in her mind to rid herself of their thoughts. She took her hands away, with an exhalation of relief

"It works." She smiled. "Ok, that's it! Go enjoy your day." Ron and Hermione waved a goodbye to her and Remus, and walked inside to finish packing.

Harry lingered and said "Thank you…for everything." He looked at her for a moment before Krystal smiled, and hugged him. Remus hid his own smile. Only a few weeks ago, Krystal would never have reached out for someone like that. The affectionate girl he used to know was back.

He watched as she pulled out of Harry's embrace, saying to him, "I have something for you - late birthday present.'

She pulled a flat square gift from her pocket. "It's not much, but I thought you might like it.'

Remus saw Krystal's look of uncertainty as she watched Harry tear the wrapping off the gift. He moved closer to her for support, his arm brushing hers as they stood side by side. Harry's movements stilled as he saw the simple wooden frame inside the paper. As Harry looked on, his teenaged parents waved at him as they clowned around in what he recognised as the Gryffindor common room. Harry swallowed hard, finally tearing his eyes off the photo to look up at Krystal.

"It's a special frame,' she explained, before turning to Remus. "Can I borrow your wand, please?' she asked, her voice sounding a little tight.

Remus pulled it from his pocket and handed it to her, his hand closing over hers for a moment to let her know he knew this was hard for her.

The frame was one her parents had given her for her sixteenth birthday. The night she'd left him at the cottage, he'd gone back in and looked for anything intact. This was one of the only surviving mementoes he'd salvaged; the Death Eaters must have missed it when they destroyed everything else.

Krystal tapped the frame with Remus' wand, and the photo changed to one featuring a young Remus, who was trying to read a book while a laughing Sirius kept pulling it out of his grasp. Remus laughed as he looked at the photo.

"He could be such a prat!" he said affectionately.

Harry smiled as well, as Krystal tapped the frame again. The third photo was one of three of the Marauders - James, Sirius and Remus - hamming it up for the camera. All three of them laughed as James shoved Sirius into Remus who pushed them back, pushing them out of the photo for a moment.

Wand shaking a little, Krystal tapped the frame for the final time. This time the photo revealed a group of teenagers, waving at the camera, their lips moving as they called silently from the picture. Harry picked out his parents, Sirius and Remus quickly, also recognising Frank and Alice Longbottom, his friend Neville's parents. He frowned, his eyes searching for two of the missing Gryffindors - Wormtail and Krystal.

"That's Mary. She and Sirius had a…special friendship,' said Remus, hearing Krystal's soft laugh as he pointed to the blonde girl.

Suddenly, Krystal appeared. It seemed she'd been the one everyone was calling out to - she had been setting up the camera. Harry watched as Lily pulled Krystal down next to her and put her arm around her, the two girls putting their heads together - dark and light. They all looked so happy.

"I wasn't sure about this one,' Krystal began, but Harry interrupted her.

"No. It's great, it's perfect,' he said, his voice shaking a little.

As he composed himself, Remus leant down to whisper in Krystal's ear. "Wormtail?' he asked, knowing that the traitor had been in those pictures.

"Vanished him, the little shit,' she whispered back, feeling a little shiver as his lips grazed her ear. Remus let out a snort of laughter. Krystal had always disliked Peter, tolerating him for Remus' sake only.

"Thank you. I…..Thank you,' Harry said, blinking his eyes rapidly. "I'd better…"

He gestured towards the house and took off at a run. Krystal watch him go, biting her lip. "You ok?" Remus asked. Krystal nodded. She had come to care very much for Harry and was not looking forward to the next day.

She sighed, and handed him back his wand. His hand brushed hers and they both felt a tingle run up their arms. Krystal felt his gaze on her, and bent over to pick up the torn wrapping paper, trying to distract herself from the heat that was pulsing through her. Remus felt a groan rise in his chest as she bent, his eyes sliding down to her ass. He closed his eyes, thinking of the most non sexual things he could, trying to stop himself from forgetting where they were and grabbing her.

* * *

Since the day they finally cried together and put the past firmly behind them, all lingering awkwardness had gone: it was as though no time had passed. They picked up their old friendship quickly, Remus realising just how much he had missed Krystal's sense of humour and how much light she used to bring to his life. But there was still something that remained unresolved between them.

There had always been a very strong physical attraction between the two of them, and, their many years apart had not lessoned that connection: their tension had been rising, to the point that Remus was in what felt like a permanent state of frustration, glad for the physicality of duelling to provide some relief. Unable to get even a minute alone together, he had to settle for a flirtation, delighted, yet even more frustrated, when Krystal had responded.

When he left her at night, he would dream about the way she used to touch him; how her lips had felt against his; the way she used to whisper in his ear. He knew she felt the same: he had caught her watching him, seen her breath quicken and her skin flush when they were close. He wanted to be alone with her, and planned on making it happen today.

* * *

Krystal was also finding the sexual tension hard to bear, waking up at night after dreams that left her sweaty, breathless and in need of a cold shower. She finally felt that they had managed to get past what she had done, and, as Remus had made it clear that his relationship with Tonks was over, she was finding it more and more difficult to be around him and remain in control.

She'd been getting increasingly distracted during lessons: catching herself watching his body move as he duelled, or staring at his mouth while he spoke, remembering how it had felt pressed against her. She could barely stop herself from throwing herself at him when he was close to her, restraining herself only because the trio were always with them.

She was sure he felt the same. She often felt his eyes on her, and she had seen him bite his lip and close his eyes when they were close to each other - just like he used to do in class when she sat next to him, teasing him by brushing her hand over his thigh. She badly wanted to be alone with him, but The Burrow wasn't known for it's privacy.

* * *

"So, what are you doing the rest of the day?' Remus asked, trying for a casual tone, despite the fact his blood was rapidly leaving his brain. Krystal looked at him and shrugged, Vanishing the wrapping paper with a flick of her fingers.

"I don't really know,' she said, feeling heat streak through her as she saw his flushed face. "I should probably think about getting packed up and ready to go back home to Australia. I've got nowhere to stay here now that You Know Who knows about the cottage and I think the Weasley's might appreciate a bit of privacy for a while after this circus.'

Remus felt a wave of panic rush over him. He had never stopped to think about what would happen when the teenagers left and her job was complete.

"Bill and Molly asked me to stay for dinner tonight, and Fleur has threatened to do me harm if I'm not here tomorrow, so…" She shrugged again. "I guess I'm at a bit of a loss till then. I'm pretty sure Molly will find me something to do."

Remus nodded, thanking God for the Weasley's. "Yeah, I suppose I could help out here too. I've got nothing else on."

He looked over at her, seeing her quickly look away, and kicked at the grass with his feet. He couldn't believe how nervous he felt.

"Unless, you wanted to do something together. I mean, we probably shouldn't go anywhere, but we could go somewhere quiet here and…'

He stopped talking for a moment to get his thoughts together. He took a deep breath, determined that she would say yes.

"Do you want to have lunch with me?' he said, his words rushing out. 'A picnic lunch by that little lake Fleur was telling us about the other day? We could eat and talk and catch up.' He saw her smile and felt a surge of confidence.

Krystal, feeling her skin tingle, looked up at Remus, suddenly a little shy.

"Are you asking me on a date? I don't have a lot of experience, but it sounds like you are,' she asked.

He smiled at her, making her heart skip a beat.

"I don't have a lot of experience either, Krys, but yeah, I guess I am,' he replied as he realised something. 'I've never asked you on a date before, have I?'

She smiled and shook her head. 'No,' she said with a soft laugh. 'We kind of skipped that part.'

Remus laughed as well. 'Well, we already knew everything there was to know about each other,' he replied, watching her. 'And we were far more interested in…well, other things.'

His grin widened as she turned bright red. 'So, would you go on a lunch date with me?'

'You know you would have been a married man today if you'd been sensible,' she said lightly.

Merlin, she wanted to say yes, but she had to know that he was sure about this.

'And Tonks and I would have both been miserable,' he retorted, knowing what she was doing. 'This was the only decision I could have made, Krys. I couldn't have married Tonks, not now.'

He saw the uncertain frown on her face, and put his hand to her chin for a moment, making her look up at him.

His dark blue eyes held hers, his smile leaving his face. "I told you I would fight for you this time, Krys,' he said softly, taking her hand in his, lightly stroking the top with his thumb, causing her knees to tremble.

Krystal felt her heart melt at the look in his eyes. She never dreamed he would ever look at her like that again, and she just wanted to lose herself in him.

'So, about that date….?'

'Yeah, ok,' she said quietly. 'I'd really like that.'

Remus grinned, his eyes lighting up. 'Really?' he said, fighting the urge to take her and kiss her right there.

She giggled at the look on his face and nodded. 'I'll make some sandwiches….' she began but he interrupted.

'No,' he insisted, unable to keep the smile off his face. 'I asked you, so I'll get everything ready.'

Krystal smiled too. 'Well, in that case, I might go and shower,' she said, pulling on her shirt a little. 'I probably don't smell too good after that lesson.'

'You smell just fine,' he said, his eyes darkening a little. Krystal blushed and shook her head.

'No cheese on my sandwich,' she said, backing away towards the house.

'I remember,' he said, following her, and they moved into the house; Remus to the kitchen and Krystal to the bathroom.

* * *

Remus quickly made some sandwiches and as he grabbed some drinks and fruit, Bill arrived home.

'What are you up to?' he said, throwing himself down at the table and picking up an apple, biting into it.

'_I_ am going on a date,' Remus replied happily, finding a basket to put everything in.

He and Krystal were both trying to be discreet about their ever growing attraction in front of the others, aware of their fondness for Tonks, but Remus had confided in Bill and, unbeknownst to him, Krystal in Fleur.

Bill grinned. 'Really?' he asked. 'She said yes?'

Remus nodded, packing the last of the food and closing the basket. He looked at Bill. 'We're going to that lake Fleur told us about the other day,' he said, unable to hide his joy. 'You know we've never been on a date before?'

Bill laughed. 'Well, then you should know that holding hands and a quick kiss at the end is the only acceptable contact for a first date - a far cry from what I suspect you have in mind.'

Remus flushed and grinned. 'I don't expect anything like that to happen….'

'Yeah, right! I've seen how she looks at you, Remus,' he said, chuckling. 'And how you look at her. Somehow I don't think sandwiches are going to be the only thing on the menu.'

Remus shook his head and picked up the basket as Bill mused, 'The lake, huh? I seem to recall some very pleasant evenings spent there with Fleur…' He looked at Remus with a sly grin.

'You haven't forgotten what to do, have you?' he asked cheekily, then laughed as Remus slapped him across the top of the head as he passed him.

'Good luck!' he called, chuckling as the older man cursed at him as he left.

Krystal felt butterflies in her stomach as she met Remus near the chicken shed. 'Hi!' she said brightly with a smile.

'God, you're gorgeous!' he said, not able to help the words slipping from his lips as he looked at her.

She was wearing a simple blouse and jeans; her hair was damp around her face, curling slightly; but she looked like she was glowing. Krystal took a shaky breath, heat surging through her, settling in her lower body.

'You're not so bad yourself,' she said flushing.

They stared at each other for a few moments, then Remus laughed at the first date awkwardness he felt with a woman he knew so intimately, and Krystal joined in. The tension eased a little and Krystal spoke.

'Come on,' she said, taking his hand. 'I'm starving!'

He gripped her hand tightly and grinned as he spun them out of the yard.

* * *

Their slight unease disappeared as they ate and talked, laughing as they reminisced and talked about what had been happening in their lives over the last eighteen years.

'So, what's it like living in Australia?' he asked, watching her drink from her bottle of Butterbeer.

The way her lips wrapped around that bottle…..He closed his eyes briefly, feeling himself harden. He'd told Bill he had no expectations for this date, and he truly didn't. But that didn't stop him _wanting_ to jump her.

'Hot,' she said with a laugh. 'Really hot. It's nice though. My place is in the bush: no neighbours, lots of space, lots of wildlife. I nearly fainted the first time I saw a kangaroo. It came right up to the house and scared the hell out of me.' He laughed and she looked over at him, stomach clenching a little.

'God, I'm going to jump on him in a minute,' she thought, feeling an ache between her legs. He was looking at her with heat in his eyes, and suddenly she couldn't stay still. Standing up, she moved the few metres down towards the lake, stopping and leaning up against a tree.

'It's nice here,' she said, as Remus also stood and walked over to stand next to her.

'Mmmm,' he agreed, distracted by her hair, which the breeze was gently moving.

Remus moved his hand to her head and he stroked her hair, letting it run between his fingers, wanting to bury his face in it; to smell that shampoo that he used to go crazy over. Krystal felt her pulse speed up. She turned and looked into his scarred, perfect face; and realised how much she'd missed being touched; missed him touching her. Harry was right. She loved Remus, and God only knows why, but he loved her. It really was that simple.

She licked her dry lips, and raised her hand to his face. She could feel his heart beating fast against her arm as she used her finger to trace the scars across his face. His breathing become irregular, and she felt him trembling against her. She traced the outline of his lips with her finger and heard his sharp intake of breath. He grabbed her hand, stilling it.

"I want to kiss you." He said it simply; a statement of fact.

She made her response just as to the point. "I want you to kiss me."

He looked at her for a moment as if he couldn't believe he heard her right. Then he cupped her face with his hands and bent his head to her.

* * *

He was gentle, his lips softly brushing over hers as their hands moved. He stroked her face, moving his hands down to her neck, running his thumbs over her cheeks. She lifted her hands to his shoulders, then tangled them into his hair, urging him closer. Remus, sensing what she wanted, deepened their kiss, his tongue tracing Krystal's bottom lip. She responded in kind, her teeth lightly grazing his lip, wrenching a moan from him and he moved closer to her, pressing her back into the tree trunk.

The feel of his body against hers lit a fire in her and she ran her hands down his shoulders and over his chest, letting them come to rest on his hips. Remus skimmed his hands down her back, then wrapped his arms around her waist. They were touching from shoulder to knee now. Krystal raised herself onto her toes, rubbing against Remus and feeling how aroused he was. His excitement sparked an immediate response in her own body, and her hands clenched on his hips, her own lifting, involuntarily, to press closer to him.

At her small movement, the restraint Remus had been desperately trying to hold onto, slipped away. Their already heated kiss turned fierce and all gentleness was forgotten by them both, as years of need took over. He rained kisses on her cheeks and throat, his hands pulling her tight against him. Krystal moaned, as his lips rediscovered their favourite places. She kissed across his jaw line and traced the shell of his ear with her tongue.

He almost growled, and pulled away from her. He yanked his wand out of his pocket and waved it in the air around them, muttering enchantments to prevent them being seen. He prayed he'd done them properly: her lips had moved to his throat and he was having trouble remembering his name, let alone anything else.

Remus dropped his wand quickly as her hands moved to his waist, pulling his shirt out of the top of his pants. He stopped her hands, holding them as he looked at her, breathing heavily.

"Are you sure?' he asked, not knowing what he would do if she said she wanted to stop now.

"I have never been more sure about anything in my life,' she responded, not a trace of doubt in her voice.

He let go of her hands and kissed her hard. His hands moved to the buttons on her shirt; shaking as he quickly undid them one by one, kissing his way down her neck and across her shoulders. Once the last button was undone, he opened the shirt, exposing her scars.

He felt Krystal tense as he slipped it off her shoulders. He moved his mouth back to hers and kissed her gently.

"You are so beautiful,' he said against her lips. She caught his lips again with hers, moaning when she felt his tongue flicking at hers, moving her own hands to the front of his shirt.

He kissed back down her neck and shoulders, pushing her bra strap out of the way as he ran his tongue over her collar bone. He felt her fingers fumbling as she tried to undo his buttons. She sucked in an audible breath and arched up into his hand as he gently touched her breast. He bent his knees as his mouth moved lower, kissing the flesh above her bra.

She lost patience and waved her hand at him, his buttons flying off his shirt. Krystal felt him laugh against her breast, then she gasped as he ran a thumb over her nipple. She tugged the shirt off him, sliding her hands over his chest, revelling in the feel of his bare skin. There were the old familiar scars but new ones as well. She felt Remus' hands reaching for the button of her jeans and ran her tongue over his chest, flicking it over a nipple, hearing his deep moan as he pulled down her zipper, sliding his hands around to her bottom as he pushed her jeans down. They pooled around her feet and he lifted her, letting them drop to the ground.

He held her off the ground, his hands cupping her ass as he kissed her. She wrapped her legs around him, and he moved until he reached the rug he'd put down for their picnic. He lowered himself to his knees and, with her legs still around him, pressed her down onto the mat as their kiss became urgent.

Krystal's hands moved to his pants, quickly undoing his belt and pulling down his zip. She pushed them down, taking his underwear as well, laughing softly as he moved his hands to help her. He was naked now, and he rolled over onto his back, dragging her onto him as he did.

"You have too many damn clothes on,' he muttered as his hands moved to her bra, quickly unclipping it and pulling it off her, drawing in a shaky breath as he felt her bare breasts rub against his chest. His hands slipped back down to her ass, hooking his thumbs under her panties and pulling them down her legs in one motion. Krystal ran her tongue over his chest, finding his nipples with her tongue and teeth, making him moan for her. When she ran her tongue down to his navel, he groaned loudly, his hips jerking up as her hand brushed over his cock.

She gasped as he flipped her onto her back again, moving so he was on top of her. He lowered his head to her breast. "God!" she hissed as his mouth closed over a nipple. Remus shivered as she ran her fingernails lightly down his back, as he moved to her other breast, his hands moving lower on her body, running over the scars on her belly.

As his fingers stroked their way to their final destination, she closed her hand over his erection again, making him curse and thrust into her hand, knowing if she kept doing that it would be over before it began. Remus brought his head up to kiss her mouth as his hand found the soft flesh of her inner thigh. He moved his hand gently, sliding a finger inside her, causing her to gasp and bite his lip. He smiled against her mouth, moving his hand, finding all the spots that used to make her moan, until she was pressing herself against him, begging him, whispering in his ear, "Remus, please".

Unable to wait any longer himself, he moved until she felt his cock nudging her centre. He pulled away to look at her face as he slowly pressed forward, sliding inside of her tight heat, not stopping until he was completely encased in her body. She let out a shaky groan as he filled her. They stilled for a moment, both shaking and trying to catch their breath: overwhelmed by the incredible feeling that finally, they had come home.

Regaining some control, Remus began to move, slowly at first, then, as she moaned and her hips began to rise to meet him, speeding up; moving together, falling into the old rhythm they'd discovered together all those years ago. She kissed him as she felt their tension escalating, their breathing becoming ragged and uneven, their movements more urgent and erratic.

"Look at me, Krys," Remus whispered, pulling his face back from hers.

She did, and suddenly she was falling: calling to him and shaking as she felt him also reach the end. He shuddered and moaned, pressing his forehead to hers, breathing her name as he looked deep into her eyes.


	38. Chapter 36

**More sex. I'm so good to you and you don't write, you never call :( **

**Please review. I know you're reading - yes, I'm talking to YOU - so please take a minute to drop me a line. I'll give you more sex...**

* * *

Chapter Thirty six

Shaking and feeling overwhelmed by what had just happened, they lay entwined, hands gently stroking each others' damp skin. Remus' lips brushed over the skin on her neck as he moved to ensure he didn't squash her, and Krystal sighed. Smiling at the soft sound, Remus kissed her. A gentle, explorative kiss that sent shivers down both of their spines. His hands moved to her face, tenderly stroking her jaw with his thumbs, as her hands tangled in his hair, keeping him close to her.

They were lost in each other for the longest time, their kiss deepening until, when they finally pulled away, they were breathless.

"Wow, she said softly, looking at him as if she couldn't really believe he was there. He smiled and ran his thumb along her bottom lip.

"Wow, indeed,' he agreed. He felt like he was floating; it had been a long time since he felt this happy.

'We've still got it,' he said, grinning at her, as he ran his hand over her hip.

Krystal laughed. "Yeah, we were always good at this.' she said, a mischievous smile on her face. 'I've never been on a first date before, but I don't think that's how they're supposed to end.'

He laughed and kissed her again. "Who says the date's over?' he asked, against her lips.

She laughed as well, pulling back as she stretched, her body rubbing against his, sending tremors through him.

'We're not seventeen anymore, Remus,' she said with a giggle. 'I know once men reach a certain age…..'

Remus laughed and kissed her hard. 'I don't think I'm going to have much of a problem with my sex drive around you,' he mumbled, kissing her jaw and pressing his body against her so she could feel his rapidly growing arousal.

'Mmm,' she said in an impressed tone. 'I take it back. You're obviously as insatiable as ever.'

'You bet your perfect ass I am,' he said with a grin, kissing her lips again quickly.

She looked at him; a serious expression moving across her face. "Last chance to change your mind, Remus,' she offered, her voice quiet. "I won't hold it against you…."

Her last words were swallowed as he pulled her head towards him and kissed her, trying to put in his actions what he couldn't put in words.

After a minute, he released her, saying in a hoarse voice, "Does that tell you what you need to know?"

She nodded, finding herself unable to form a coherent sentence.

"Good. I don't want to discuss this again, alright?' he said, with a grin.

* * *

Several minutes later, Krystal shivered as Remus slid away from her.

"Where are you going?' she said in a sleepy voice.

"Nowhere,' he assured her. He picked up his wand, having finally found it down closer to the lake under her jeans, and Transfigured his shirt into a blanket. He moved back to hold her, wrapping the cloth around both of them. He kissed her shoulder then her neck as he pulled her closer to him. He listened as she let sleep overcome her; her breathing becoming regular.

Remus ran his hand over her hip; he didn't want to sleep; not when he could be looking at her, touching her. The full moon was in a few days and he wouldn't be able to see her. He wanted to make the most of these few moments they had alone - they'd already lost so much time. But slowly, despite his best intentions, contentment closed his eyes and the dreams came.

_He was standing in the midst of a battle in the grounds of Hogwarts. He looked around and saw Kingsley Shacklebolt fighting next to Arthur Weasley. Behind him, the Weasley twins were struggling against a masked Death Eater. As he watched, one of the twins were hit and went down hard. _

"_Remus!" He heard the scream, turning to see Tonks battling Bellatrix Lestrange. "Look out!" _

_He spun around to see Bellatrix's husband, Rudolphos aim his wand at him and scream, "Avada Kedavra". A stream of green light shot out of his wand and Remus threw himself out of the way, sending a Crutiatis curse at his attacker. The hex made contact, and Rudolphos was writhing on the ground when Remus saw them. _

_Harry and Krystal were making their way from the castle. Harry was duelling with a Death Eater in a mask; holding his own. Krystal had her hands full as Bellatrix joined Dolohov in attacking her. Remus began to run to help her. He tripped on a twitching leg on the ground and , to his horror, saw Tonks laying bleeding and pale. She looked at him as her breath rattled from her lungs and her eyes went blank. He heard a scream of fury from Bellatrix as Krystal killed Dolohov. _

_She shrieked "Crucio" and hit Krystal, sending her to the ground. Remus sent a Stunner at Bella, who turned to block it. She quickly sent a curse flying back at him. He wasn't quick enough, and felt pain shoot through his chest as some of his ribs broke. He hit the ground hard and felt the wind get knocked out of him. _

_He struggled to sit up and as he did he saw Harry get knocked down by a curse from the wand of a Death Eater. Bella screamed in delight as she aimed her wand at him as he lay screaming on the ground. Krystal staggered to her feet as she broke the curse Bella had on her, shouting "Avada Kedavra". _

_Bella's face still bore the remnant of her laughter as she crumpled to the ground. Harry shot a Stunner at his Death Eater who went flying into a nearby tree, his head slamming into the trunk. They heard the unmistakeable sound of bones snapping as his head flopped and he dropped to the ground. _

_Remus got his feet and walked towards Krystal who had fallen to her knees in pain. She looked up and saw him coming, her eyes widening as she looked over his shoulder. _

_She screamed "No" and raised her hand. He went down as she hit him with her spell. He saw a flash of green light fly past him a second later, and heard Harry scream as it streaked towards him and Krystal. A flash of red light appeared and Remus saw Rudolphos slam into the ground behind him. He picked himself up and looked at where he last saw Krystal. He saw Harry sobbing as he looked up at Remus. Remus frowned and was about to ask what was wrong when he saw Krystal. _

_She was on the ground, her expression frozen. Remus ran the last few metres and fell to the grass next to her, pulling her into his lap. _

"_No!" he yelled, as tears began to stream down his face. "She's not dead, she can't be." He held her to his chest, not feeling the agony of his broken ribs as he willed her to look at him; to come back to him. She'd done it before; she'd returned after everyone thought she was gone. As he looked into Krystal's blank face though, he knew that this time, there was no coming back. She was dead._

* * *

Remus woke with a start, gasping as he sat up abruptly. He was covered in sweat and his throat was constricted; he couldn't breathe. Krystal sat up next to him, her face concerned.

"What is it? What…?" she asked urgently, her questioning cut off as he grabbed her, pulling her onto his lap and held her to him tight. His whole body was shaking and she could feel his heart racing as he struggled to catch his breath.

"It's ok," she said, her voice shaking a little. She moved the leg that was caught under her so that she was straddling him. She put her arms around him, stroking his back; his hair.

"Everything's alright. I'm here, Remus; I've got you." She kissed his head; his face; his neck, trying to soothe him.

He loosened his grip on her and looked at her, holding her face in between his hands, whispering breathlessly, "You were dead. You were dead."

She saw the tears in his eyes and she bought her own hands to his face.

"I'm not dead; I'm right here." She kissed his forehead, then his eyes. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I'm sorry."

She kissed his mouth. As she pulled away, he grabbed the back of her head and dragged her back to him, kissing her hard; demandingly. She responded, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tight.

'Don't ever leave me again,' he gasped as his lips moved to her neck, his hands running over her, as if making sure she was really with him.

'I won't. I promise,' she whispered, moaning as his hand ran up her thigh and stroked.

Heat erupted inside the both of them and he grabbed her hips and lifted her; slipping inside her and she began to move on him. For a few frantic minutes, they moved fast and hard against each other, until they exploded together; their movements stilling and their ragged breathing the only sound.

* * *

After several minutes, Krystal raised her head from Remus' shoulder.

"Are you alright?" she asked him as he also looked up. He nodded as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Bad dream," he explained. He saw her frown and open her mouth. He quickly covered her lips with his. After several seconds, Krystal pulled away.

"I get the feeling you don't want to talk about it," she joked, still slightly breathless from his kiss.

Remus smiled at her; his thumb traced her bruised lips as he noticed the red welts his lips and teeth had left on her neck and shoulders.

"Was I too rough?" he said in concern, running his hand over the marks.

"Hmmm?," she said vaguely, enjoying the feel of him touching her neck. "Oh no," she said quickly when he indicated the bruising on her body. "I think I might have gave as good as I got.' She pointed out several red marks on his skin with a grin.

'I might need that spell you used our first time, though.' She smiled cheekily and wriggled on him, feeling him harden a little inside her again. 'It's been a while.'

He smiled as she leant over to soothe the red marks with her tongue. Watching her kiss her way across his chest, Remus was curious about something, but wasn't sure how to ask or even if he really wanted to know.

"Ask me." He was only a little startled when she spoke. 'Sorry, the block just slipped.'

"I hate it when you do that," he said crankily, adding, "Why don't you just tell me? You know what I want to know."

Krystal shook her head, looking at him, trying to hold back a smile. "Uh Uh! I want to hear you ask."

He closed his eyes and said in a strangled voice, "I was wondering if, I mean, I wouldn't have expected you to have…" He stopped and took a deep breath.

"Has there been anyone else?" he said in a rush, opening his eyes to look at her. "Not that I expect that you have been celibate or anything, it's just….I nearly lost it the second I was inside you. It felt like our first time again, if you know what I mean."

Krystal's eyes glittered as she kissed him lightly and said softly, "There has never been anyone else."

He stared at her. "Never? Not in all this time?" he questioned, feeling a mix of smugness and joy.

"Never," she confirmed, her voice firm.

Remus felt the wolf inside him howl triumphantly before she said lightly, "I understand that in the circumstances, your dry spell was probably a little shorter than mine. You don't seem out of practice.' She giggled at the look on his face.

'It's ok,' she said smiling as he opened his mouth. "You weren't supposed to abstain forever, Remus. I didn't expect you to take a vow of celibacy just in case I came back from the dead.'

He interrupted her. "I did wait,' he said. "For years, I did wait for you. I was sure you'd come back. But you didn't and Tonks came along……"

Krystal was shaking her head. "It's fine, Remus,' but he wanted to tell her.

"There was one woman - I can't even remember her name,' he admitted, a little guiltily. 'It was nearly two years after you'd gone. Sirius took James out to celebrate Harry's birth and Lily convinced me to go as well. I was incredibly drunk and Sirius and James were egging me on.'

Krystal smiled. 'Really? That doesn't sound like them,' she said, light sarcasm in her voice.

He smiled too, then it faded. 'It happened in the toilets at the pub. She looked enough like you that I could pretend……'

He stopped for a moment, swallowing against the lump that had risen in his throat. 'It was over fast and…I called her 'Krys'.'

Krystal, her face pained, saw his lips trembling and kissed him softly. He rested his head against her for a moment, then lifted his head, wanting to finish telling her.

'Tonk was the first relationship I've had since you. She loved me and I thought she'd help me finally forget about you. We only started seeing each other a day or two before Dumbledore's funeral.'

Krystal frowned. 'That wasn't even three months ago. You really waited all that time for a woman who was supposed to be dead?'

She'd hoped that if he thought she was dead, it would mean he'd get on with his life. But she hadn't counted on his intuition. He'd never believed it.

He nodded. 'We were first together the night of Dumbledore's funeral; the last the night you came back. I saw your face when I looked at her, and I had to bite my lip to stop myself calling out to you.'

She looked at him. 'I'm sorry, Remus,' she whispered, sliding her hands around into his hair. 'I wanted you to go on; to be happy and find someone to love. It must have been awful for you: to be so alone for so long.'

Remus slid his hands up her arms to her shoulders, stroking his fingers gently over her neck. "Werewolves mate for life, Krys. I never accepted that you were dead and you…you are my mate. Waiting for you wasn't that hard. I didn't want anyone else. I never met anyone who compared to you,' he said softly.

Krystal put her hands to his face and kissed him. "That is the best damn thing anyone has ever said to me,' she whispered, resting her head against his. "But you didn't have to explain anything to me, Remus. I don't care if you tell me you've been with the entire Harpies Quidditch team.

'Well,' she said as he laughed, "I might care about that, but you don't have to justify what you did while you tried to get on with your life. Ok?"

He nodded, running his hands down her back. "You know, it's a bit of a turn on, knowing that I'm the only man that's ever touched you like this. He cupped her buttocks in his hands and pulled her closer to him.

Krystal grinned. "Really?" she enquired, her head rolling to the side as he kissed her neck. She felt another surge of heat threaten to engulf her, and was stunned by how much she wanted him.

'I can't stand the thought of another man's hands on you,' he murmured against her skin, moving his mouth down to kiss the tops of her breasts. 'Or another man inside you. I guess that's the wolf in me.'

His finger brushed her nipple and she let out a soft cry, feeling a bit faint, both from his touch and his words. She felt him getting hard inside her again, and she pressed down onto him.

'Fuck! Do you feel what you do to me?' he breathed. His hand moved down to where they were still joined, stroking her.

A bird's cry overhead startled them, and Krystal saw for the first time how low the sun was getting, and pulled away with a sigh of regret.

"Hold that thought,' she said to his disappointed face. "It's getting late. They'll be looking for us and this,' she rolled her hips a little, smiling when he groaned, 'is not the position I want those kids to find us in."

He let out a frustrated breath. "Fine."

He pushed her backwards so she fell onto the grass with him on top of her. He kissed her, hot and hard. She was about to say 'to hell with them' when he pulled away, slipping out of her.

"Hold that thought," he teased, as he stood up and began to pull on his clothes.

* * *

Harry could hear Molly slamming pots and pans in the kitchen, preparing for the pre wedding dinner. Ginny had warned them to stay out of her way. She was cranky that Remus had disappeared before he could try on the dress robes he was borrowing off Bill.

'Come to think of it,' thought Harry, who was in his bedroom trying to brush his hair flat to no avail, 'I haven't seen Krystal since before lunch either.'

It was dusk now. He looked out the window, hoping she was alright. She'd gone on long walks before, trying to make herself scarce in the crowded Weasley house, but she didn't usually skip meals. Maybe he should try to contact her using his new Trace.

'No,' he thought with a grin. Krystal would curse his butt off for the false alarm. He was going to miss her when he left tomorrow. They had become close over the weeks they'd spent together. Harry thought they were alike in a lot of ways and he had not felt a connection like theirs with any other woman. She was like an older sister and mum rolled into one.

He was turning back to the room to finish dressing when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of colour from near the chicken shed. He looked back out the window and saw Krystal and Remus emerging from behind a hedge and walking towards the house. As he watched, Remus suddenly dropped the basket he held and grabbed Krystal's hand, dragging her behind a small broom shed.

Harry felt a grin spread across his face. Remus and Krystal were hidden from the porch and kitchen but he had a clear view and could see exactly what they were doing, and exactly where Remus' hand was headed. He leaned out of window and cleared his throat loudly, watching as they jumped apart and looked around, alarmed at the noise. Krystal saw him first and he waved to her, grinning.

Krystal shook her head, her face turning red as she spoke to Remus. The older man's eyes found Harry, who was still smiling broadly. Remus grinned back at him, then pulled Krystal towards him, kissing her quickly on the lips. He laughed as Krystal pushed him away and smacked him on the chest with her hand before she stalked off towards the house. He looked up again at Harry, who gave him a thumbs up sign.

* * *

When Harry came downstairs five minutes later, Krystal was in the kitchen amusing Ginny as she 'peeled' the potatoes, pointing her finger at them as they twirled in the air shedding their skin. Harry stood in the doorway, watching Ginny laughing and felt a stab of loneliness. Seeing Remus and Krystal together had made him remember when he and Ginny would sneak off to be alone. He shook his head.

'No good thinking about that,' he thought to himself. 'It's over.'

But he also felt a little hope. Krystal and Remus had come together again after all they'd been through; maybe he and Ginny could as well.

He entered the kitchen as Krystal made the potatoes jump one at a time into a pot of boiling water. She went a little pink when she saw him.

"Hi!" he said brightly, deciding to play a little. "I haven't seen you all afternoon. What have you been up to?"

She stared at him, her eyes blazing, her lips twitching as her face went from pink to red. "I went for a walk," she said glaring at him.

"All afternoon? You must be exhausted! Hey!" He ducked as a potato came pelting at his head.

"Oh, sorry Harry," she said, with a tone of innocence. "I guess my aim's a little off." Ginny caught Harry's eye and grinned as she went to dress. He thought she had guessed where Krystal had been that afternoon.

Krystal finished the potatoes and sent the vegetables flying into a smaller pot.

"Where's Remus?" Harry asked, keeping his eyes peeled for more flying vegetables.

"Trying on his dress robes with Molly," she said, still facing the stove. She turned to him. "Are you ok with this; me and Remus?" she asked her eyes meeting his. "I know everyone likes Tonks and…"

Harry walked over to her and took her hand. "I do like Tonks and I'm sorry she's been hurt. But I care about Remus and I want him to be happy. If you make him happy," he grinned, "and from what I saw before, you do; then I'm happy for you. Oh, and I really care about you too, you know."

She smiled "Thank you Harry," she said softly. "Please don't tell anyone about this though. We….well, it's still new and we have a lot of ….issues from the past and there's Tonks to think about…"

Harry held up his hand. "I swear no one will hear about it from me."

"Hear about what from you?" said Ron as he and Hermione walked into the kitchen. "Hear about how I have some special duelling lessons planned for you tonight," Krystal laughed at the look on Ron's face. "I'm kidding, Ron. Lessons are over."

She took a good look at the others. "I feel a bit grubby. I might go and have a shower." She left the room, ignoring Harry's snort of laughter.

As Ron peeked into the pots on the stove, Hermione walked over to the sink where Harry was filling a water glass. "Krystal looks happy," she commented with a smile. "So does Remus; he can't stop grinning in there."

She gestured to the living room where Harry saw that Remus' good mood had rubbed off on Molly, who was laughing with the man as she adjusted the length of his robes.

"Really?" said Harry, looking warily at Hermione, who smiled at him.

"It's good to see them both happy." She gave him a knowing look as she left the kitchen.

* * *

Harry and Ron followed her. They watched as Bill and the twins, Fred and George decorated the surrounding trees with streamers and glitter. Fleur was setting the table and Arthur was holding out a bottle of mead to Fleur's parents who had arrived that afternoon. Hermione was talking in low tones to Ginny at the table. Hagrid had pitched his tent in the yard and waved to Harry as he and Charlie Weasley snuck sips from a flask.

Krystal followed Molly down the stairs, carrying armfuls of food; Remus behind them with plates of meat, nearly losing his footing as he watched Krystal's ass moving in front of him. Molly waved them all into their seats as she went back inside for the dessert. They all sat, and Mr Weasley and Remus organised drinks. Harry watched as Remus poured some mead for Krystal, his hand brushing hers rather unnecessarily. He hid his smile, enjoying seeing their happiness.

Dinner was loud, with lots of laughter. Fleur's parents entertained them with stories of their daughter's childhood, while Molly, not to be outdone, told tales about Bill. Remus noticed Charlie Weasley paying a lot of attention to Krystal, keeping her occupied throughout the meal. Later, as Krystal and Fleur were talking, Charlie approached them, letting his hand rest lightly at the small of her back, just above her butt.

Although Krystal unobtrusively moved so his arm fell away, Remus was startled by the intensity of his reaction, feeling a snarl rising in his chest. Jaw clenched, he walked across the yard to join them, inserting himself between Krystal and Charlie. The younger man quickly got bored with the wedding talk, joining Hagrid, who was now sneaking drinks from a bottle of Firewhiskey. Fleur's parents waved her over to them, and Krystal and Remus were left alone for the first time in hours.

"Alone at last,' he said, moving as close to her as he dared. They were in a fairly shadowy area, but were still visible to the others. Krystal glanced over at the cheerful group nearer the house.

"Not alone enough,' she frowned, frustration evident in her voice. He grinned, thrilled that she was suffering as much as him.

She smiled at the look on his face, then bit her lip as she looked back over her shoulder. When she turned back to him, she had a naughty smile on her face.

"I'm feeling really tired,' she said, stretching her arms dramatically and yawning wide. "I think I'm going to go on up to bed."

He frowned, unsure of whether she was serious or not. She winked at him, whispering, "Meet me behind the chicken shed in 20 minutes,' before she turned and said her good nights to everyone.

Remus could barely stop himself from also departing immediately, forcing himself to join Bill and Arthur for 15 minutes before making his own excuses. He then left through the protection, re-entering behind the chicken shed, where Krystal was waiting. She grinned at him as she saw him walk back through the enchantments and threw herself at him, kissing him as though they had been parted for months rather than minutes. Remus responded enthusiastically, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to him.

After spending several minutes making out, they were both tugging at each others clothing, hindered by their proximity to the house.

"I could try and sneak you upstairs,' said Krystal breathlessly, as Remus' mouth moved down her neck, pushing her shirt aside to access her shoulder.

"Molly would kill us both,' he responded, feeling her hands move under his shirt and across his chest to flick at his nipples.

He shivered and she ran her tongue over a scar on his neck, saying, "I can't go to bed like this, I'll never get to sleep.' She gasped as he undid a button on her shirt and slipped a hand inside to cover her breast, the other on her hip, gripping her tightly to him.

"Me neither,' he said, his words ending in a groan when she slipped a hand down the back of his pants to cup his butt and pull him closer to her.

She let out a frustrated noise and pushed him away from her, leaving a hand on his chest to keep him at arm's length.

Both breathing heavily, they stared at each other for a moment, before Krystal grinned and said, "I know. Come here.'

She gripped his shirt and pulled him towards her.

"Hang on,' she said, spinning on the spot.

* * *

They spun for just a second, opening their eyes to a silvery glow which lit up the small lake they were now standing alongside. Remus looked around then turned back to Krystal, who had a big grin on her face.

'Krys, it's pitch black,' he said, looking over onto the grassy forest area. 'We'll step on a snake or something.'

She gripped her shirt and pulled it over her head, kicking off her shoes at the same time. 'Not in the water,' she said suggestively.

Remus grinned now too. "Are you serious? You want to go skinny dipping?" he said, already starting to remove his shoes.

Krystal's hands moved to her jeans, quickly pulling them down her legs and throwing them at him.

"Yep! Last one in is a rotten egg!" She laughed as she reached around her back, Remus' attention drifting as her bra joined her other clothes on the pebbled bank. He pulled his shirt over his head, and began working on his pants, his hands fumbling a bit at his belt when he saw her underwear come off.

His hands stilled as he watched her wade into the water. 'How is it possible that your ass is better now than it was when you were seventeen?' he asked, watching said backside disappear under the surface.

She laughed, turning around so he got an uninhibited look at her breasts. 'And those are still very nice too!' he said, admiring the view.

'Am I going to have to start without you?' she said, raising her hand to her breast, then laughing as he yanked his pants down quickly.

She was floating in the water when he finally finished undressing, and waded in after her, cursing a little at the cool water. When he was in up to his chest, she paddled over to him, wrapping her arms and legs around him. She weighed nothing in the water, and he could use his hands to caress her, enjoying hearing her moan as his hands curled under her bottom, pressing her closer to him.

The cool water did nothing to dampen their desire, both of them soon breathing hard again as their hands moved softly over each other, time seeming to slow down. But when Krystal's hand reached down between them and stroked gently, Remus let out a groan and kissed her hard.

"Krys, I need you now. Please,' he begged into her mouth, knowing he couldn't hang on much longer. He felt her soft laugh, then she moved, and he felt heat as he sank into her.

A shiver shook Krystal as she closed her eyes, trying not to come completely undone by the feel of him inside her. Remus too, stilled for a moment, not daring to move until he felt more in control. Holding her tight against him, his mouth close to her ear he whispered, 'I love you'.

She pressed her lips to the side of his face, murmuring, 'I love you' in return against his skin.

He kissed Krystal on the neck, and began to press himself slowly against her, his tension rising when he heard her moan. Feeling her lips on his shoulder, he moved again, harder this time, his own moan ripping from him as he felt her begin to tighten around him.

Entirely lost now, he gripped her hips and pushed up hard into her, and heard her gasp softly; then louder as he repeated his action. Her fingers dug into his shoulders tightly, as she swore loudly, and implored him to keep going; to not stop. He did, and felt her shudders as she gave in to her release. Her submission sparked his own: two more thrusts causing him to throw his head back and cry out his pleasure.

As they came down off their high, Krystal began to laugh softly into his shoulder.

Remus smiled, 'What's so funny?' he asked.

"Remind me to thank Fleur for telling us about this place,' she said.

Remus too, began to laugh, holding tight to Krystal, not wanting to ever let go again.


	39. Chapter 37

**Plot loosely (very) follows DH (the book we all got fucked over by) but my version's better (he he).**

**It's all happening this chappie - sit up and pay attention. Oh, and review. Please? I'm down on my knees, I swear.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty Seven

"Don't you dare leave that there, Ronald Weasley!" Krystal woke up to the sound of Molly's voice drifting up the stairs.

She groaned and checked the time - only a couple of hours till the ceremony - she'd slept late, very late, for the first time in eighteen years, exhausted after the day before. She laughed softly as she recalled why she was so achy, yet so very satisfied. She sat up and stretched, looking out the window. It was a nice day for a wedding. She washed and dressed quickly; she wanted to talk to Harry before he and the others left later that night.

The lower level of the house looked like an explosion had occurred. Flower arrangements and bottles of mead, champagne and Firewhiskey lay on every available flat surface, with robes, suits and dresses hanging in the air. Krystal tripped over a pile of dress shoes and was caught by Charlie Weasley.

"Whoops!" he said, his hands lingering on her arms a little longer than necessary.

She smiled at him and took a small step back. "Thanks. What happened down here?"

He looked around. "Mum," he answered with a grin. She smiled and went to move down the hall but, he moved to block her way.

"Save me a dance later?" he said looking down at her.

"Sure," she replied. He smiled and moved out of the way. She felt his eyes on her all the way down the hall and frowned. Charlie had been especially attentive last night. She knew he was harmless, but she was a little uncomfortable with the younger man's advances.

* * *

Remus arrived at The Burrow later than he had expected. Tonks had called earlier, needing to come over to his house to collect some things she'd left there. She was polite as he told her he and Krystal were back together, and shook her head when he tried to apologise again.

"Don't, Remus," she'd said quietly, her eyes wistful. "You can't help who you fall in love with. I just hope she doesn't hurt you again."

He tried to forget the look on her face as she walked out the door. He cared very much for Tonks and hated that he'd hurt her so badly.

As he walked up the stairs, Molly Weasley came thundering out onto the patio, followed by a thin, nervous looking man. Molly stormed over to the tent which had been erected for the wedding.

"I said gold not silver!" she shrieked gesturing to the ribbons. Arthur came running down the stairs.

"Morning Remus!" he said as he hurried to placate his wife.

"Morning!" he replied, turning to watch Molly point out some incorrect place settings to the frazzled man.

He grinned and walked up the stairs. As he reached the porch, he saw Charlie Weasley and Krystal talking in the hall. Remus watched as Krystal walked past him, and into the kitchen.

'Charlie's staring at her ass,' Remus realised.

He felt a jolt of anger and an image of himself punching Charlie in the mouth flashed through his mind.

"Hey, Remus!" Charlie waved as he came out onto the porch.

"Hey!" responded Remus darkly.

"Remus, what do you know about Krystal? Is she seeing anyone?"

Remus glared at him. "Yes, she is."

Charlie looked at him. "Damn," he said. "Is it serious?"

Remus felt his hands twitch as he ached to wrap them around Charlie's neck. "Yes, it is."

The red head thought for a second. "Well, she's fair game till that ring's on her finger."

He winked and walked off, which was a good thing as Remus' tolerance had just run out.

* * *

Harry saw Remus and Charlie on the porch as he entered the Weasley kitchen. Krystal was getting a cup of coffee and smiled when she saw him.

"Good, I wanted to talk to you. Have a coffee." She handed him her cup and turned to fix herself another one as Harry sat down at the table. "You're all packed?"

He nodded and she sat down next to him. She saw the nervousness in his face. "Harry, I know you're worried, but you are as prepared as you could be to face this. The Order is still fighting; we are all supporting you. And I'm ready; whenever you need me, just think of me and …"

"Ask for help," finished Harry. He smiled at her. Somehow, seeing her nerves had lessoned his own.

"Don't be too proud to call me," she said. "Anytime, day or night."

"I know," he said softly as she continued.

"I can be there in a few seconds and …."

"Krystal. It's ok. I'm going to be fine." He took her hand. "I could never have done this without you. Thank you. You…you would have been a great godmother.'

Her throat tightened as she squeezed his hand. At that moment, she understood how Molly had felt the morning of their argument. She cared for Harry and wanted to try and protect him from what was to come. She wished she could do this for him. Ron and Hermione came into the kitchen but stopped when they saw Harry and Krystal.

"Everything ok?" Hermione asked.

"Yep. Everything is fine," said Harry, still looking at Krystal, who nodded and let go of his hand saying, "Get out of here you lot. Molly will be back soon and you don't want to get in her way."

They scarpered as they heard steps on the stairs outside.

Krystal smiled and drank her coffee. She was nearly finished when Molly came rushing inside. She stopped when she saw Krystal.

"You're not ready!" Krystal hurriedly finished her coffee.

"Just going now." She threw the cup into the sink and bolted up the stairs as Remus walked through the door.

* * *

It had taken him several minutes to calm down after his chat with Charlie. He could get a little more aggressive or angry around a full moon, but he'd not ever felt jealousy like that before, and it had frightened him slightly.

"Ah good, Remus," said Molly. "Can you please go and check on Bill for me and make sure he is ready. An hour! That's all the time we have."

"It's ok, Molly. I'll go and check." Molly let out a little screech.

"The ushers - they need to get out to the tent."

Arthur came into the kitchen and took Molly in hand. "And are you going to greet our guests in your nightgown?" he said leading her out into the hall.

"Remus…" she called as Arthur dragged her away.

"I'll send them out, Molly," he promised.

He took the stairs two at a time and hurried Harry, Ron and the twins out to the tent, before spending some time with Bill, who was a strange greenish hue. He finally left him in Charlie's hands, ignoring the flask that he saw him slip Bill. He stopped at Krystal's room and looked around. No one was in sight. He knocked lightly on the door. When she opened it, he felt his breath leave his lungs.

"Wow!" He whispered, a slightly stunned look on his face.

"You sound surprised - yet again," she said, raising an unimpressed eyebrow as she shut the door behind her.

"Ahh…" He couldn't get any words out.

She was wearing a gauzy blue dress that dipped at the front; showing enough cleavage to make him want to tear it off her. The dress flowed over her curves and ended just above her knees, showing off her legs. Remus felt heat move to his lower body when he remembered how those legs were wrapped around him just hours before. Her hair floated loose around her face and down her back, and she wore only a little basic make up. She looked like heaven.

She smiled and his chest tightened. "It's Fleur's. It's a little short, and I'm a bit bigger in the chest than she is….'

She looked up at him and saw his eyes on her cleavage. 'But I'll assume from that look that I've scrubbed up alright."

A smile broke out on his face as his eyes slowly moved up to her face. 'You'll do,' he said, a little breathlessly.

Her own eyes darkened with desire as they took him in. "You look …..hot."

She let out a breath as goose bumps broke out all over her skin. God, she wanted to rip those robes off him, her legs weakened with the force of her longing. Even after the activity of the day before, she still ached for him.

Remus grinned at her as Charlie and Bill stepped out onto the landing. Bill, no longer green but still pale, smiled grimly at them as he went downstairs, but Charlie walked over to them.

"You look wonderful," he said to Krystal. She looked a little flustered.

"Thank you, Charlie. You look good too." She chanced a glance at Remus and was startled by the look of anger on his face.

"Well, I'll see you soon," she said trying to get him out of there before Remus lost his temper.

"Don't forget to save me a dance - a slow one," said Charlie as he winked at Krystal. Remus was clenching his fists now.

"Bill doesn't look too good. Nerves?" she asked, desperately trying to change the subject.

"Yeh!" She was relieved to see him move towards the stairs. "Better go and make sure he doesn't puke again." He waved and trotted downstairs.

Krystal looked at Remus, who was still staring after Charlie. "He's just a bit of a flirt. He doesn't mean any harm."

"I'll do him some harm if he doesn't cut it out," muttered Remus, turning to glare at Krystal. "You're encouraging him."

"Excuse me?" she said a look of surprise and annoyance crossing her face. He took a step away from her, gesturing towards the stairs.

"You agreed to dance with him; you should've just said no," he hissed.

She gave a short laugh of disbelief and spoke in a low tone, feeling her temper spark.

"And why wouldn't I want to dance with him? As far as anyone knows, I'm single; why would I turn down a good looking man who wanted to get to know me? I'm not flirting with him, Remus." He looked at her stonily, his arms crossed.

"Harry already knows about us; the other's suspect,' she said. 'We said we don't want anyone else to find out; not until you've talked to Tonks and a respectable amount of time has passed. Charlie is a good decoy."

As she spoke, she saw the anger leaving his face, replaced by frustration. Her anger dissolved. She moved until she was standing close to him and put her hand on his arm. "I love you; I want to tell everyone. But we agreed to wait; we've hurt Tonks enough."

For a moment, he looked at her as if he was seeing her for the first time, then moved fast; grabbing her face and kissing her bruisingly. She was surprised but responded fervently, wrapping her arms around his neck; lifting herself up to him. Remus moved, pushing her back against the wall as he slid his hand over her shoulder to cup her breast then parted her legs with one of his own. She moaned faintly and her hands fell to his chest, grabbing his lapel to try and hold herself upright. His hands moved to her hip and he pulled her closer, buoying her hips against his pelvis.

He pulled his lips away from hers and kissed her jaw near her ear. "You're mine," he growled.

He kissed her neck. "All mine."

She gasped as he nipped her ear lobe, surprised by his possessiveness, but also, aroused by it.

"I've always been yours," she whispered, brushing her lips over his slightly stubbled chin.

His mouth curled up in satisfaction as he took her lips again, plundering her mouth, one hand moving back up to her breast, running his thumb over her nipple. She gasped into his mouth and moved her hands down to his ass, pulling him hard against her, feeling his arousal.

They heard a cough from behind them. They pulled apart guiltily, both of them breathing heavily. Harry stood on the stairs, pink in the face and trying his hardest not to smile.

He looked at his feet and said, "Mrs Weasley sent me to get you both." He looked at them and bit his lip.

"When you're finished."

He couldn't hold the grin in any longer, as he galloped back down the stairs. Remus turned back to her grinning ruefully; and Krystal couldn't stop her own smile spreading across her face.

"I guess we got a little carried away." She reached out and wiped a smudge of lipstick off his face. He took her hand and kissed her fingers.

"Before we go down, I've got something to tell you,' he said. "I saw Tonks this morning, and told her we were together again," he explained. She looked up at him, a smile lighting up her face, before she fought it down.

'Is she alright?' she asked, not enjoying the fact she'd contributed to the woman's misery.

'Well, neither of us will be on her Christmas card list, but I think she realises it's best for both of us,' he said, with a small frown.

Looking back at her, he smiled broadly, watching the smile also return to her face. 'So, can we tell everyone?' he said, running his hands up her arms.

'Not now,' she said, moaning a little as his lips found the spot on her neck that made her feel weak. 'It's Bill and Fleur's day.'

His mouth moved to her shoulder, and heat shot through her body.

She grabbed his face between her hands and kissed him hard.

"Do you think they'd miss us if we just stayed here?" he gasped as she pressed kisses over his face. They got their answer as they heard a shout from downstairs.

"Come on you two!" Krystal giggled and Remus cursed in frustration.

"Later." Remus promised as he took Krystal's hand, trying to adjust his clothing with the other.

"Thank God for dress robes," he muttered as Krystal laughed and followed him down the stairs.

* * *

An hour later, Hermione was wiping her eyes as she approached Krystal. "Wasn't the ceremony lovely?" she said.

The older woman smiled at her. "It was beautiful. Everything was perfect, Molly." She aimed the comment at the red haired woman who joined them.

"They look so happy," Molly said, smiling broadly and wiping away her own tears. She moved away to greet a Weasley relative and Ron walked over to Krystal and Hermione.

"Not long now," said Ron, who looked pale.

"Try not to think about that now," suggested Krystal. "Enjoy your brother's wedding." She leant over and whispered in his ear. "Now would be a good time to ask Hermione to dance."

They both looked at Hermione, who was watching the dancers.

Krystal winked at Ron and backed away to sit at a poorly lit corner table.

After a few minutes, Harry slipped into the chair next to her with a smile on his face. "Why are you hiding all the way over here? Charlie was looking for you,' he teased, chuckling when he saw the look of slight panic on her face.

"It's alright - I didn't tell him where you were." She smiled in relief.

"Thanks, Harry. It's in Charlie's best interests that he doesn't find me,' she said, only half joking. "Remus can get a little….possessive around the full moon."

Harry laughed and settled back into his chair. "Your doing?" he asked, inclining his head towards the dance floor where Ron and Hermione were dancing together. 'I saw you whispering to Ron.'

"I might have given him a gentle nudge," she admitted with a smile.

She watched Harry as he observed his friends, a small frown on his face. "Something on your mind?" she asked, resisting the urge to let down her mind block to read his thoughts.

"There are a few things I would like to ask you before we leave, but I don't want to upset you…" She gave him a small smile.

"It's ok, Harry. I'm surprised you've waited this long. Where do you want to start?" He looked at her, a wary expression on his face.

"Snape," he said simply.

She sighed. "There is a lot I can't tell you about Severus," she said, toying with the cutlery in front of her. She appeared to be trying to choose her words carefully. "I can tell you that we have known each other for a long time, before Hogwarts. We have a lot of history. Sev was …..in trouble once and I helped him, and, as a result, he felt he owed me a debt."

Harry interrupted her. "Sev?" he said, looking a little ill at the nickname.

Krystal smiled. "I know it's hard for you to think of him as anything other than your nasty Potions teacher, but he was a child once. A very lonely and sad little boy."

"He killed Dumbledore!" Harry's voice had risen and he made an effort to control his temper. "He was your family. How can you justify…?"

But it was Krystal's turn to interrupt, saying, "You know I can't talk about that with you, Harry. All I can tell you is that not everything is black and white - there are many shades of grey in between, and Severus Snape falls into that area. I know that it is hard for you to understand now, but you will. One day, you will."

Harry took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. "So he helped you back then because he owed you?" He couldn't hide the doubt in his voice. She nodded.

"You won't believe me when I say this Harry, but Severus is an honourable man." Harry snorted.

"I told you that you wouldn't believe me," she said with a shrug, "but I know him a lot better than you do. A long time ago, gave me his word that he would help me, whenever I needed him - and he did," she said the last few words softly.

"Years ago, he helped me, despite his better judgement and the fact that helping me could have cost him his life."

Harry looked as though he was struggling to reconcile the man he knew with the person Krystal was describing. She leant closer to him.

"Harry, he saved my life, years ago; he'd paid his debt to me; yet he still….' She stopped as her tongue rolled up. 'I trust Severus," she said firmly when she could talk again. "He's a much better man than most people know."

She sat back, observing Harry with a serious look on her face.

Harry took a drink of his bottle of Butterbeer, his mind whirling. He saw that Hermione was now dancing with Remus, while Ron had been commandeered by his mother. Krystal also looked at the dance floor, smiling when she saw Remus, who at that moment glanced over at them, his face lighting up when he saw Krystal.

Harry saw their obvious happiness and reluctantly asked his last question. "That night."

She turned and he saw the fear in her eyes. "What could you gain from hearing about that night, Harry?' she said, trying to not show how scared she was to talk about it.

"I don't know,' he replied, honestly. 'But I think I need to hear everything."

Krystal frowned, and looked closely at him. "You really need to know this?" she said quietly. He nodded. She took a drink.

"Well, you heard most of it with that ear thing," she began.

He interrupted, asking, "But why? Why did You Know Who want you so badly?" Krystal's jaw clenched for a moment, then she turned to look at him.

'Back then, my abilities weren't commonly known. Albus didn't want me to use them at school, but one day I disarmed someone without my wand, and word got out to the wrong people,' she said, choosing not to tell him that James and Peter were involved. 'He discovered something that I didn't even know: that I was capable of being the most powerful witch in generations from my family, all of whom were very strong women. And he wanted me where he could keep an eye on me, and access my skills - on his side.'

She frowned and sighed. 'He was afraid of me, Harry, and jealous of my abilities,' she said, looking back down at the table. "He knew Albus and I were close and I think he was concerned about what would happen if our power combined, so he tried to come between us. He offered me the chance to have more power, glory; to have the freedom to do anything I wanted." She shook her head.

"He valued these things more than anything else, and he couldn't understand why I didn't want all that. But I had everything I wanted already." Krystal's eyes lifted, and Harry saw her glance over to Remus again.

"So, to prove yourself, you ..' he began.

"Hurt them - yes," she said, her voice strained as she clutched the glass in her fist. "You don't want to know…..' she began, but Harry nodded, his face determined as he said, "I do. I need to know."

Krystal swallowed hard and spoke, her voice low and shaking. "I petrified Remus first. He tried to reason with me, he knew I wasn't myself. Sirius told me he wouldn't fight me, and he didn't until I used a Dark spell on him and broke his ribs. Lily kept screaming at me. I couldn't bring myself to fight her, Severus kept her busy. But I snapped at the end, and threw her against the wall until she was unconscious. James…"

She let out a breath and passed a hand over her eyes. "You know what I did to him. He fought me the hardest - nearly took me down at one point." She looked back at Remus, who was now talking to Bill and Fleur. "Remus was nearly my undoing. I hesitated, but Sev kept screaming at me, kept reminding me what would happen to them if I didn't convince the Dark Lord I had tried. I cursed him. He didn't fight back. He refused to hurt me." She was shaking now and looked down at the table.

"Not all of his scars are self inflicted. I gave some of them to him." Her eyes closed for a second.

Krystal stopped talking and for a few moments they sat in silence.

"To some, power like mine can seem a gift, Harry. But I've spent many years thinking of it as a curse."

He recalled her saying similar words the day they met. Now he understood what she'd meant.

She finally looked at Harry, who was pale, his face set. "There hasn't been a day that I haven't wished I had done things differently; wished that I could undo the damage I'd caused. All I can say is that, at the time, I didn't see any other way to stop the bloodshed. Oh, don't get me wrong, I wanted my revenge as well. I'm not going to pretend I had completely noble reasons behind doing what I did, but they weren't entirely selfish either."

She lay a hand gently on his shoulder. "Your mum was one of my best friends, Harry. We'd known each other since we were little: I loved her very much. And, apart from her and Remus, I was closest to Sirius. We…..we had a connection, and I loved him. Your dad and I were mates, he treated me like one of the boys, but he was always protective of me.'

She smiled sadly. "I've had a chance to explain to Remus, to give him some answers and to tell him that I'm sorry.' She blinked again, but a tear ran down her cheek. "I wish I hadn't been too late with your parents. I wish I had revealed myself earlier to the Order so I could have told Sirius……'

She shook her head. 'I would have told them I cared; I would have had a chance to apologise to them before they died. But it's too late. Now, I can only tell you, James and Lily's son; Sirius' godson, how sorry I am for what I did to them. And I am so very sorry, Harry."

She looked at him for a moment, her lip shaking and her eyes filled with tears, then stood and walked out of the tent.

* * *

Remus watched as Krystal left the tent. He looked back at Harry, who had put his head into his hands. Frowning, he walked across the tent and sat down next to Harry. "What's going on?" Harry looked up and Remus saw his colourless face.

"I asked Krystal to tell me about that night; about what she did." Remus' own face paled and he felt a rush of anger at Harry.

His voice was tightly controlled when he asked, "And she told you everything?"

Harry nodded. "She promised me when we met that she would tell me what I wanted to know; that she wouldn't lie to me."

Remus could see how shaken Harry was, but he wanted to find Krystal. She was still so fragile when it came to her past.

"Are you alright?" he asked the younger man, his anger at him fading as he saw Harry's hands trembling.

He sat down on the chair Krystal just vacated. "It can't have been easy hearing that." Harry looked at him. "You forgave her? She did that," he indicated Remus' scarred face, "to you, but you could forgive her?"

"Yes," said Remus, "because even though what she did was horrible; even though she made a terrible choice; she did it because she loved us, because she wanted to protect us. By putting us through that pain; she gave You Know Who no more reason to hunt us; she saved our lives. You would never had been born if she hadn't done what she did.'

Harry looked up at him; he hadn't thought about that.

"So, knowing that, and given the fact that I have never stopped loving her; yes. I forgave her."

Harry looked at him. 'What about my mum and dad? And Sirius? They must have been upset…'

Remus gave him a grim smile. 'I think upset is a bit of an understatement,' he said in a quiet voice. 'Lily was devastated. She couldn't understand what had happened to make her decide to turn on us.' He looked up at Harry.

'Remember, Harry. This all happened over twenty four hours. Just one day. Krys apparently went from our friend to servant of the Dark Lord without any warning.'

Remus frowned. 'Krystal had a…darkness, even at school. We had seen it once before, but….' He paused.

'But we knew the reasons behind it then. She'd been hurt deeply - by me. She always hated to cry; to show her emotions, so she buried them, and covered them with self destructive behaviour. We knew this side of her, but we didn't know what had happened to spark it. Now I do - her parent's murder. The threat of You Know Who killing me.' He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

'Your dad and Krys were mates, and it was hard to tell how James felt. I think he would have had the most trouble forgiving her - she'd hurt Lily so much; and, although he cared for her, he didn't love her the way the rest of us did. She was Lily's best friend, my girlfriend and Sirius…...' Remus stopped, and closed his eyes, biting his tongue. But it was too late.

Harry frowned. 'Sirius? Krys said they were close.'

Remus smiled, looking at Harry. Pads would forgive him for telling his secret.

'Sirius was in love with her - nearly as crazy about her as I was; as I am.' He saw Harry's startled expression.

'I knew all about it. Before Krys and I got together, he asked her out. It was a disaster.' He laughed a little, remembering his friend's first date with Krys - he'd ended up snogging another girl that day.

'But they were close, and if I had never met them or been sorted into another house, things may have been different for them.' He felt a small twinge of jealousy, but brushed it away.

'Sirius told me he loved her at the end of Seventh Year. He'd known I loved her, we talked a lot about her together, and he put his own feelings aside to give me a chance.' He looked at Harry's face and continued speaking.

'It would never have worked between them. Sirius knew that. They were both like fire - passionate, hot tempered, both wanting their own way - they would have killed each other. But knowing that didn't stop him being nearly destroyed when he thought she'd died.'

Remus took a deep breath. 'But they would have forgiven her, Harry. They loved her too much not to have understood. And to be honest with you, I don't know if any of us wouldn't have made the same choice faced with what she was.'

Harry sat for a few moments, absorbing all the information Remus had shared. "You really do love her - after everything?" he asked.

Remus smiled. "I know Albus has told you this, Harry, but love; real love, true love; is the greatest power on earth.' His face changed, his expression intense.

"And I loved her - so very much.,' he said, his voice passionate. 'I think I fell for her that first day on the train. There has never been anyone else for me; no one else has ever made me feel the way she does…"

Remus stopped talking, realising how personal his words were becoming. "Yes, Harry,' he said, in answer to Harry's question. "I really do love her."

He stood and put his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Are you going to be alright?"

Harry nodded and said "Yeah. I'll be fine." Remus squeezed his arm and left to find Krystal.

Harry stood up as Ginny came to him. "Dance?" she said. "For old times sake?" He smiled at her and took her hand.

* * *

Remus found Krystal sitting with her back to him on a tree stump around the front of the house. She jumped a little when he ran his hand across her shoulders and moved around to crouch in front of her.

"Hey," she greeted him softly.

"Hey," he echoed, his heart aching when he saw the hurt in her face.

"Harry told you?" she asked, looking at a piece of grass she was twisting between her fingers. He nodded and took her hands in his.

"What do you see when you look at me, Remus?" she asked in a low voice. "Do you see me as I was that night?"

Remus knelt on the ground and took her face into his hands, bringing it up so he could look into her tear filled eyes.

"When I look at you, I see the girl that accepted me without question, and loved me despite all the reasons she had not to. I see the woman that still makes me feel like no one else has ever made me feel. And when I look at you, I see the part of me that has been missing for 18 years."

He ran his thumbs across her cheeks, wiping away her tears. "I see the person that made me whole again."

He leant forward and gently kissed her lips, then each eye. She rested her forehead against his as he said softly, "There are just no words to explain how very much I love you."

He ran his hands down her arms until he reached her hands. He stood and pulled her to her feet.

"Dance with me," he whispered in her ear. She pulled her head back and smiled at him. He took her in his arms and held her, gently swaying with her in time to the faint music they could hear from the tent.

"You deserve better than me,' she murmured against his chest.

"Hmmm, maybe you're right. Maybe I could do better," he said into her hair, mock seriously. He smiled as he heard her soft laugh and they lost themselves in the feel of each other.

The song ended and they stood still, not wanting to break the spell. Out of the corner of her eye, Krystal saw a shimmer. She looked up as she saw it again.

"What is it?" Remus asked looking at her.

"I'm not sure," she said slowly. She was still watching when another shimmer, this time bigger and stronger, distorted the garden. Her eyes widen in shock as she realised what it was.

"The enchantments are giving way," she looked at Remus. "They're coming!"

Remus grabbed her hand and they ran back to the tent. They burst through the opening; Remus ran to Arthur and Bill while Krystal found Harry and Hermione sitting at a table.

"Time to go!" she gasped urgently. "Now! They're coming! Get Ron and go!" They jumped up as a silver Patronus appeared, also bearing a warning.

Panic broke out. The air was crackling as the enchantments gave way. Guests began to Apparate out of the tent as figures appeared from out of the shadows. Krystal cast a Shield spell as a Stunner was shot into the remaining guests. She saw similar flashes throughout the tent and heard screams as people were hit. She looked over her shoulder just in time to see Hermione, who was holding Harry's hand, grab Ron's arm and turn on the spot, disappearing into thin air.

Krystal sighed in relief. Remus appeared next to her and pulled her behind an upturned table.

"Go! Now!" he whispered urgently. She shook her head but he grabbed her shoulders and gave her a small shake.

"There's a good chance they still don't know you're alive. Go before they see you. You'll be no good to Harry dead.'

He looked her straight in the eye. "I'll find you, I promise."

She saw the sense in his argument, but didn't like it. She nodded though and stepped away from him. She turned on the spot as another flash of red light hit the table they were hiding behind. Then everything went black.

* * *

Krystal opened her eyes to a blinding light and heat. She was lying on her back on grass.

'I must have passed out,' she thought.

She tentatively moved her limbs, fearful that she may have splinched herself in the rush to escape. Everything seemed to be still attached. She sat up and looked around, giving a small disbelieving smile as she recognised her surroundings. She stood as she realised that she had apparated to the first safe place she had thought of - her home in Australia. No wonder she had passed out. In desperation, she had apparated half way around the world in one go.

Despite the fact it was still early in the morning here, sweat had already started to bead on her skin as she stood in the sun. It was winter here but still hotter than summer at The Burrow. She made her way to the shade of the small wooden house that stood in front of her. The plants on the veranda were dead and a thick layer of dirt had coated everything, but the house still looked as it did the day she left two years earlier. She used Alohomora to unlock the front door and slipped inside.

The layer of dust was thinner in here, but a musty smell had pervaded every room. She left the front door open and cast a protective spell around the house. She didn't want anyone to be able to find her; not until she spoke to Remus. At the thought of him, her brow furrowed. Was he alright? What had happened after she left The Burrow? She had no way to contact the others: she didn't dare use her Patronus to find out what was happening. If the Ministry had fallen, the Order members would be getting watched like hawks. She leaned against the counter in her kitchen, racking her brain for any way she could get in touch with Remus. After a couple of minutes, she still had no bright ideas, and the smell and heat of the house was starting to make her feel faint.

Krystal opened the windows and doors, letting out a little of the oppressive, stifling heat, and letting in fresh air. She pulled the covers off the furniture carefully, not wanting to send more dust into the air, then turned on the ceiling fans. She was starting to get a headache. She was worried, dirty, tired and hot. Throwing the covers out onto the veranda, she walked through the house to her bedroom, opening the windows and breathing in the fresh air. She pulled off her sheets, which were covered in dust and threw them into the small attached ensuite. Digging deep in a linen closet, she found some clean, grime free sheets and towels and quickly made up her bed. She returned to the bathroom with a clean towel and turned the cold water on in the shower, letting it run until the rusty coloured water turned clear. Finding a new cake of soap in a drawer, she stripped off her clothes and stepped into the shower cubicle.

She gasped in shock as the cold water hit her hot skin. She stood still under the spray for a few moments, catching her breath, and then soaped herself. When she finished, she dried off and wrapped herself in the towel. She felt cleaner and cooler, but the shower had not eased her mind or her feeling of exhaustion. She rummaged in her wardrobe and quickly dressed in a cotton tank top and underwear, unable to face putting anything else on in the heat. She moved to her bed and collapsed onto it. Laying on her stomach, she pulled a pillow under her head and within a few seconds was asleep.

* * *

She didn't know how long she slept for but it was dark when she awoke. The air was cool and she could hear birds calling outside the open window. She lay still as her eyes adjusted to the dark. She heard a creak; the house was timber and the veranda often groaned at night. But then another creak came, louder this time and from inside. Her breathing quickened. There was someone in the house with her.

She swallowed. How had anyone found her? How had they gotten through the protection on the house? Her body tensed as she now heard footsteps. The intruder must be searching the house. Her bedroom was at the back, it would be the last place to be checked. She slid off the bed and moved quietly across the carpeted floor to stand behind the bedroom door. She was trying to slow her breathing, worried that whoever was in her house would hear her frightened breaths.

The footsteps got louder as the trespasser got closer to her hiding place. Krystal held her breath as she saw a shadow cross her bedroom doorway. She waited until she saw a figure walk over to the bed and stop, with their back to her. She moved out from behind the door, knocking it a little. She froze as the door creaked and the intruder spun around to face her.

She was too quick. Krystal flung up her hands, casting a Shield charm as a jet of red light lit up the room. The Stunner hit her charm, deflecting off and shattering a mirror on the wall. She held the shield with one hand and raised her other; her unspoken incantation tearing the wand out of her attackers' hand and sending it flying towards her. The wand landed on the ground behind her and she used both hands to cast a levitation charm to lift the now wandless figure. She swept her hands to the side and flung the person hard against the wall, letting them bounce off before slamming them to the ground. She cast a Body Bind spell and saw the figure stop moving, laying stiff on the ground.

Krystal, keeping her eyes on the shadowed attacker, crouched and felt frantically behind her for the discarded wand. He hand fell on it and she lit it, pointing it at the man she could now see lying face down next to her bed. She frowned and slowly moved closer until she was standing next to him. She used her foot to turn him onto his back and was stunned to see Severus Snape staring back at her, his face furious.


	40. Chapter 38

**Shorter chappie but we see the relationship between Sev and Krystal. Please R/R!!**

* * *

Chapter Thirty Eight

"Sev!"

Krystal stood staring at the dark haired man for a moment before recovering herself and releasing him from the Body Bind. In her panic, she had forgotten that he knew this house - that Albus, with her permission, had made him Secret Keeper when he swapped sides so someone else knew where she was if something ever happened to him. Albus trusted Severus - having seen his unswerving loyalty to her and Lily.

His body unclenched and he staggered to his feet, running his hands over his hair and down the front of his robes. He glared at her, snatched his wand out of her hand and stalked past her.

She went to follow him, but halted as he abruptly turned back to her.

"Put some clothes on," he said roughly, his eyes flicking down then quickly back to her face.

It was her turn to glare at him, before she went to her closet and pulled out a pair of shorts, hastily pulling them on as she left the bedroom and found him standing in the kitchen, staring out the open window.

"I thought you'd come here now Campbell Cottage was unusable." He answered her unasked question.

"You know me well," she said. "I didn't even know I'd come here."

He turned to look at her, his eyes dark. "You are alright?" he asked, a little stiffly.

She nodded. "You?" He ignored her question.

"The Ministry has fallen. It is now under the Dark Lord's control. They are able to break most enchantments now: the Order will have to use Secret Keepers to keep their locations secret. You should add protection to this property - although there is no reason they would think to look here.'

He paused then looked at her. 'They were looking for Potter at The Burrow," he said.

"Was anyone hurt? Are they all ok?" Her questions were asked urgently.

He nodded. "The one's that fought back will have injuries, but they are alive. He wants them alive for now; he wants them to lead us to Potter. Do you know where he is? What he is doing?"

She leant back against the bench. She desperately wanted to ask if Remus was hurt, but bit her tongue for the moment. Severus was no fan of the werewolf.

'I know of the task he was set, but you know I can't tell you. But I don't know where he is; no one does. I think that's best, just in case. Sev……'

He had been watching her closely, and interrupted her, saying quietly, "Lupin stupidly fought back, that man has no self control, but he is fine."

She felt a surge of both pride in Remus' bravery, and relief that he was unhurt.

Severus moved out of the kitchen to the couch in the attached living area. He sat down carefully, his face a controlled mask, but Krystal saw a small flash of pain in his eyes. She recognised the signs and sat beside him.

"You're hurt! Show me," she demanded.

"It's fine," he said impatiently, a small hiss escaping inadvertently from his lips as he sat back. She frowned at him, her frustration showing itself.

"For Merlin's sake Sev, you're obviously not fine." He didn't move, looking at the ceiling as he lay back against the sofa.

"You can do this the easy way or the hard way, it's up to you," she said, her voice firm. Severus shook his head.

"I'm warning you woman, if you touch me…."

She silently cast a petrification spell at him, which cut off his last words. "You'll what?" she dared him, releasing the spell quickly.

"You know I'll win, Sev," she said in a weary tone. "I'm too tired to argue with you. Either you can show me, or I'll bind you and strip you to find the injury myself."

His eyes glinted dangerously and anyone else would have been scared, but she knew him too well to be frightened of him anymore. His jaw clenched and he reached for the buttons on his tunic, quickly unbuttoning them to his waist. He parted the sides and revealed his bruised body. A curse slipped from Krystal's lips as she took in the damage.

She touched him gently and felt a rumble in his chest as he held back a groan. "Did I do this?" she said in horror.

He shook his head. "I told you some of the Order fought back. Although, your little tantrum didn't help matters."

He winced as her hands found a broken rib. "I think your boyfriend did that."

She looked over at him darkly, saying, 'You probably deserved it,' before biting her tongue.

She knew resorting to taunting was his defence mechanism. He had to be hurting badly.

"Are you going to heal it or torture me further?" his voice rose, pain now evident in his tone.

"I have to find out what's broken," she said impatiently, moving her hand down his ribcage. Her face creased in concern.

He had at least five broken ribs and who knows what other injuries. "Give me your wand," she demanded, taking it out of his hand.

"Do you have any healing potions with you?" He nodded to the table and she saw a small pouch, identical to the one he had given her many years ago.

She retrieved it and knelt in front of him, spreading his legs apart so that she could get closer to him.

"Krystal…" his voice deep and harsh as he warned her he was reaching the end of his tolerance.

"Shut up," she said distractedly, not bothering to look up at him as she pointed his wand at the first broken rib. She wasn't an expert at bone healing spells and took a breath to ease her nerves.

"Hang on to something," she said grimly and a second later a white spark lit up the end of his wand.

His hands closed tightly around the fabric of the couch. His head fell back against the headrest and his face contorted in pain. Krystal closed her eyes briefly, then moved the wand to point at the next fractured bone. It was best to not draw this out. She quickly repaired each rib; wincing as Severus let out a strangled cry with the last.

She fumbled in the leather pouch, finding a potion to help the pain. She held it to his lips, not trusting his shaking hands, and poured it down his throat. Severus lay back against the couch for several minutes, his eyes closed and his breathing laboured. She stayed where she was, her hands gripping his legs as she watched him closely.

Finally, she saw his breathing begin to become deeper and more regular, and some colour returned to his deathly pale face. She searched through the pouch and found another potion to help heal any internal injuries as well as one for shock. She silently handed them to him; his hand was steadier as he raised them both to his lips and downed the contents in one swallow, not even checking to see what they were.

She stayed still, giving him time to compose himself. A few minutes later, he raised his head off the couch and looked at her, still crouched between his legs. A corner of his mouth twitched.

"Unless you're preparing to administer a different kind of therapy, I suggest you move."

She used his thighs to push herself to her feet. If he was back to teasing her, he must be feeling better. She slapped him across the leg with her hand.

"You're such an asshole," she said crankily.

"And you're a pushy cow," he returned, grimacing as he ran his hands over his chest before buttoning up his shirt. 'Haven't changed much, have you?'

She threw herself into the chair across from him, and poked her tongue out at him. She sat watching him do up his tunic and pull himself up straighter on the couch. Severus looked at her and saw the concern still etched on her face. His own face softened a little as he caught her eye and said quietly, "Thank you."

* * *

They sat in silence for several minutes, listening as rain began to fall softly on the roof. Severus was the first to speak.

"The Dark Lord doesn't know you are still alive." Krystal sat up a little straighter in the chair as he continued.

"The others didn't see you properly at the cottage, and no one at The Burrow gave you away. He knows there was an Order member at the cottage that night, but thankfully, he doesn't really care who it was; he was too angry we let you get away."

Severus spoke without emotion, but she knew he must have been punished for helping her. Her jaw clenched as she felt her own rush of anger.

Severus saw the flash of silver in her blue eyes. After all these years, he was still surprised that she could get so angry on his behalf. "It's fine," he said as she opened her mouth to speak. He stood slowly, his ribs feeling tender, but no longer causing him pain. She stood as well, facing him.

"What will happen now?" she asked.

"He has his own plans; plans he hasn't shared with us." Severus frowned. The fact that the Dark Lord had not shared his plans with him concerned him.

"He doesn't suspect you?" He stared at her for a moment.

"No," he said finally. "He still trusts me. He would kill me if he thought that I wasn't loyal to him."

He saw her eyes flash again, and he felt a smile twitch at the corner of his mouth.

'Her temper hasn't improved at all with age,' he thought. He'd had brief contact with her since she joined the Order two years ago, but she'd been twenty one years old when he'd last been in the same room with her - while she was conscious anyway.

It had been here in this house, and her eyes were flashing with the same anger he saw there now. But that anger had been aimed at him back then, as he tried again to convince her that she couldn't attempt to contact Lupin now that Voldemort was gone; that it was best if she just forgot about him, and let him forget about her.

Her mind had been damaged then: she had forgotten why it really was she was at the Australian house, forgotten it was her that caused the pain she saw on Lily's face in her dreams. It wasn't until a nearly a year later that she remembered everything.

He had gone to sit by her bedside once a week while she was comatose in hospital, the memories of that night having finally returned to break her mind. The responsibility he felt for her pain was heavy, weighing him down even now she appeared to have recovered.

"Is he going to go after Harry?" She asked the question quietly.

"We are to find Potter and contact the Dark Lord when we have him," Severus said, his retrospective fading.

He looked at Krystal and said with a trace of coldness, "He is the image of his father, is he not? With the same arrogance; the same weakness."

Krystal looked at him, her temper rising again from the insult to her former friend. "Oh, I don't know," she said softly, her voice slightly vindictive. "He has Lily's eyes; Lily's heart."

She saw his face change at her words and was sorry straight away; she had known her words would wound him. She walked the few steps until she was standing in front of him. "I'm sorry, Sev. You're right; I am being a cow tonight."

His pained expression faded a little as he nodded and looked at her.

"I should go. I just wanted to warn you not to reveal yourself. I'm glad you had the sense to get out before you were seen."

She smiled ruefully, "Actually I didn't," she said. "Remus made me go."

Severus looked at her carefully: he'd heard the change in the tone of her voice. "You and Lupin," he said. "You've….. sorted out your differences?" Krystal couldn't help smiling.

"Yes, we worked things out." Severus shook his head as he watched her face colour.

"I really don't want to know," he said, hearing her chuckle as he turned to walk to the front door.

She followed him, reaching out when he got to the door. She caught his hand in hers and stopped him. He looked at their joined hands and then up at her face. "Your debt to me was paid a long time ago Sev. I'm not complaining but, why are you still helping me? You owe me nothing" she asked, her voice gentle.

Severus looked around past the veranda, out into the dark night. "Because you never told anyone; you kept all my secrets. You could have told them; they were your friends. But you didn't."

She held his hand until he turned to look at her. "If you would just have let others see your heart……."

"I would have had an even more miserable childhood than I did," he interrupted, his voice harsh. She touched his face with her hand.

"We're two of a kind aren't we? Our life choices really have sucked." This time, he did smile at her comment.

'Krystal, I….' he began, but forced himself to stop. She was his oldest friend, the only person alive he felt anything for anymore. He wanted to tell her he hadn't wanted to kill Dumbledore; that he didn't have a choice. But he'd made a promise, and he had to honour it.

She looked at him, and could see the torment in his eyes. She let her mind block drop and heard one word, but that was all she needed.

'Albus was too strong a wizard to allow his death to be so random,' she said, squeezing his hand. 'I know you can't tell me exactly what happened, but I'm sure he had complete control over the way he died.'

Severus felt a jolt of relief that she didn't believe he'd betrayed Dumbledore, and was a little annoyed with himself that he was so concerned about what she thought of him. He'd never considered her anything more than a friend; having fallen in love with Lily when he was ten, and remaining in love with her for all these years. But he could see why Lupin and Black had fallen for Krystal. He looked upon her like a sister now, despite his every attempt not to care.

'Thank you for looking out for me, Sev," she whispered, raising up on her toes and quickly kissing him on his cheek before he could pull away. "Take care, ok?"

He nodded before spinning on his heel and walking quickly down the stairs. When he reached the edge of the protection, he disappeared.

Krystal was too disturbed to go back to bed. She curled up on a chair on the veranda, listening to a kookaburra laugh as the sun began to rise. She was worried about Severus; about Harry and the others. She missed Remus. How long would it be before she could see him again? She sighed and let a self pitying tear roll down her cheek. She'd been by herself for so many years, but it was only now that she felt truly lonely.


	41. Chapter 39

**Thanks Alymacron and The Fleaks for your reviews.**

**Find out what happened at the Burrow after Krystal left.**

**WARNING: Shower sex coming up! If you enjoy, review or I might make them celibate!**

* * *

Chapter Thirty Nine

Remus stood with the remaining wedding guests in the centre of the tent. Krystal had disapparated with only moments to spare before the Death Eaters stormed in and rounded them up.

"We are looking for Harry Potter!" came the voice of Dolohov who was standing at the front of the crowd, while the others wandered through the crowd of guests. A groan or a gasp of pain could be heard occasionally as the intruders made their way from one side of the tent to the other.

He looked over at Bill, who was standing with his arm around a crying, but defiant Fleur. Bill returned his gaze. They were both wondering the same thing; had the Ministry fallen? He looked back at Dolohov who was watching the crowd.

"Come on!" he shouted. "Harry Potter is wanted for questioning in regards to the death of Albus Dumbledore! Turn him over, and you can go home - in one piece." He grinned unpleasantly at Fleur's cousins, who began to cry.

"We don't know where he is!" One of them yelled at Dolohov. "He's gone!" The tent exploded as everyone began shouting.

Remus felt rather than saw a Death Eater come up behind him.

"Is she safe?" he heard the masked man whisper.

He frowned and it took all his control not to turn and punch Snape.

"Yes," he replied curtly, not needing to ask who he was talking about. He felt Snape brush up against him.

He turned and looked at him, his lip curling in disgust when he saw the silver mask. They both started at the sound of the loud bang from Dolohov's wand. The tent was silent as everyone looked to the front.

Dolohov turned to where Snape was standing next to Remus. "He's not here," said Snape.

Dolohov turned to Remus, who clenched his fists in an effort to control himself. This man had attempted to rape Krystal in her Fourth Year, and he desperately wanted to strike out now, as he couldn't back then.

"What about you, werewolf?" His eyes glowed with malice behind his mask, as he raised his wand. "How long could you hold out before the Cruciatis curse loosened your tongue?"

Remus said nothing, staring at Dolohov with ill disguised rage. The other man moved and stuck his face into Remus'.

"Where is Potter?" he said through gritted teeth.

"Potter? Who's Potter?" replied Remus, glaring into Dolohov's face. He was hit across the face by the man and, losing his temper, he hit him back hard, punching him with everything he had in the stomach.

Dolohov went down hard, his mask falling off. Snape hit Lupin over the head, and Remus struck him back in the torso, hearing a crack and seeing the brief look of pain in Snape's eyes.

Dolohov raised his wand from the ground and yelled "Crucio" sending Remus to the ground next to him, writhing in pain. Snape grabbed Dolohov's arm, as several Order members stepped forward, only to have wands raised at them by the remaining Death Eaters.

"That's enough!" he growled. "We are wasting our time; we need to find Potter."

Dolohov nodded, and stood, looking down at Remus, who was struggling into a sitting position.

'She wanted it, Lupin,' he said tauntingly. He knew why Lupin hit him, having recovered the memory several years earlier. 'The little slag was begging for it.'

Remus saw red, and grabbed the man around the knees, pulling him to the ground. He heard Bill call out to him to stop. Dodging a spell from Dolohov's wand, Remus threw a punch at him hitting him in the mouth, and felt one of the man's fists connect with the side of his face before he was thrown off him by a charm. He looked over to see Snape with his wand out, eyes furious as he glared at Dolohov.

The dark man blinked rapidly and the look was gone, replaced by a cold stare. 'We are leaving. Now,' he said to the other man, and the two of them disapparated; quickly followed by the other Death Eaters.

* * *

There was silence in the tent for a few moments then chaos broke out. Guests were disapparating; some were screaming and crying; other's trying to find loved one's. Remus saw Arthur speak to Bill. Bill nodded and disapparated with Fleur.

Arthur made his way through the crowd to Remus as the man got to his feet. "What the hell did you think you were doing?' he demanded, turning as his name was called across the tent.

'You'll stay?" he asked, turning back to him briefly, seeing Remus' nod before walking to help an elderly relative. "Let's get everyone out!' he called.

He, Arthur and Charlie spent the next couple of hours comforting distraught guests and assuring everyone that Harry was in no way responsible for Dumbledore's death. After the last guest had disapparated, Remus and Arthur sank into chairs, alone in the tent as Charlie and the twins had taken Ginny and a sobbing Molly into the house an hour ago.

Remus grabbed a bottle of Firewhiskey that had been left on the table and pulled two glasses towards him. Arthur gratefully took the glass he offered as Remus downed his own drink.

"The Ministry has fallen," Arthur said. "The Patronus from Kingsley confirmed it."

Remus nodded as he poured himself another drink and leaned over to refill Arthur's now empty glass as well before saying, "We'll be tailed everywhere we go from now on. They'll be hoping one of us will lead them to Harry."

He put the cup to his cheek where Dolohov had hit him, feeling the cool glass soothe his hot skin.

Arthur took a sip of his fresh drink. "They'll be wasting their time then, won't they?" he said the words lightly, but his eyes were serious. "I mean I don't know where he is. And you don't, do you?"

Remus understood that Arthur wanted to know if he knew where his son was heading. "No. No one knows where he is. I'm sure he is safe though." Arthur looked grim and drank the half of his drink quickly.

"And our guest…..She seems to have disappeared,' he said, mildly. Remus looked at him, knowing that Arthur was concerned about Krystal's absence. "She had to leave early, she sends her apologies though,' he said, trying not to give away anything useful in case they were being listened to.

Arthur nodded, saying, "And will you be seeing her again soon?" Remus sighed and shook his head, a feeling of misery washing over him.

"I hope so, Arthur. But I have to find her first."

The red haired man nodded, his eyes sympathetic. "Well, be sure to let her know how much we enjoyed her visit, and that we appreciate all her help,' he said. He downed the rest of his drink.

"I'm going to check on Molly," he said, standing. "Good night, Remus."

The older man laid a hand of Remus' shoulder briefly, before he strode across the demolished tent and disappeared into the house.

* * *

Remus didn't know what time it was when he finally finished the bottle of Firewhiskey. He had no idea where Krystal was, or even if she was safe. He was also thinking about Snape. When he'd asked about Krystal, there was no mistaking the concern in his voice, or the anger in his eyes when Dolohov had goaded him about attacking her. Remus wondered again what the connection was between the dark haired man and Krystal. She was determined to believe the best of the Death Eater; and Snape had taken many chances with his life to ensure Krystal remained safe.

He felt a surge of jealousy. Were there other feelings there? Krystal had spent a lot of time with Snape at one point, could they have become …..

He closed his eyes and rubbed his hands across his face roughly, not wanting to give that painful thought a chance to take hold. Krystal had told him that there had been no one else, but he wondered about the dark man's motivation. He wished he could see Krystal; hold her and kiss her. He had told her earlier tonight that she was part of him and now, sitting in the yard, looking at the stars; he felt like a large piece of him was missing.

He stood to go back to the house, putting his hands into the pocket of his robe. His fingers touched a small piece of paper which he pulled out. Remus looked at the paper; squinting at the words. He blinked, trying to clear his vision. He had drunk over half a bottle of Firewhiskey on his own and was having trouble standing, let alone reading. He slipped the scrap of paper back into his robe. Whatever it was, it would have to wait until morning.

* * *

As the new day dawned halfway across the world, Krystal tried to take her mind off Remus by attacking her house. She'd apparated to the nearest town, bought food and supplies, and then went to work. Doing it the Muggle way, she washed, wiped and mopped every inch of the small dusty house until it sparkled and she was drenched in sweat.

Once she had finished, she fixed herself a sandwich and ate it slowly, sitting on her small veranda. It was so damn hot; and she was sweaty and dirty from cleaning. As she pulled at the neck of her t shirt, she wondered how she could have forgotten how hot it got in Australia; even the winter heat could be stifling compared to the UK. She eyed the hose that lay on the lawn. 'The garden really did need a water,' she thought.

Half an hour later, she was wet and muddy.

'At least I feel a lot cooler', she thought to herself. She gave the stubborn weed she'd been pulling at a final yank, falling on her butt as it came loose. She swiped at her face, leaving a streak of dirt. She stood up and looked down at her clothes. Her shirt was a disaster, with a thick layer of mud across the front. The closest neighbour lived ten minutes drive away, so she stripped her top off and threw it on the ground.

She held the hose up in the air, letting the water splash down on her, sending the mud and dirt running in rivulets off her. She smiled a little as she put her finger over the end of the hose, sending the water high into the air, hitting her like rain as it came back to earth. She'd loved to do that as a child: enjoying seeing the rainbows made by the sun hitting the water droplets.

She sighed as she turned the hose off. She needed to do something to stop her wallowing in her own self pity. She turned to pick up her shirt from a puddle of water. As she did, she saw a movement in the nearby trees. She spun around to face the trees, ready to cast a hex if needed. Krystal felt the tension in her body rise as the bushes moved again. She held up her hand and was about to strike when a kangaroo suddenly hopped out of the brush, looked at her and hopped away, oblivious to the fact that it had very nearly been Stunned.

Krystal felt her knees go a little wobbly as she laughed. She crouched down and laughed until she was wiping tears off her cheeks. She rested her head in her hands as she tried to regain control. Krystal ran her hands over her head and took a shaky breath. This was ridiculous! She had survived eighteen years without seeing Remus; yet now, after 24 hours without him, she felt like she was going insane. She was even hallucinating! She could swear she saw him appear in front of the bushes from which the kangaroo had just exited.

* * *

It took her a few seconds to realise that she wasn't seeing things, he was really there. He smiled at her and she took a step towards him before stopping and raising her hand. This couldn't be Remus. How was that possible?

"I am Remus Lupin, werewolf, Marauder and crazy about you,' he said, walking towards her and smiling, knowing why she hesitated. 'We spent the three days after your seventeenth birthday in bed, trying out every position it was physically possible to get ourselves into….,'

It was proof enough. She threw herself at him, wrapping her arms and legs around his body, kissing him frantically. He caught her and responded appreciatively, his arms gripping her around the waist, holding her tight against him, as his lips moved to her neck. As she gasped and rocked her hips into him, he felt his legs weaken and his body go hard. Remus pulled away and looked at her, his desire tinged with amusement as he took in her appearance.

"Were you expecting someone?" he said, looking at her, wet and filthy in her bra and shorts. She laughed and let her legs slide down until they touched the ground.

"Well, Charlie Weasley said he might call around, but since you're here, I guess you'll do…." she let her voice trail off and then squealed as he grabbed her around the waist and threw her over his shoulder.

He carried her up the stairs and into the house before putting her down, but keeping his arms around her.

"You really are very dirty,' he commented, looking down at her, getting a little distracted by her chest, exposed in her wet, and now see through, bra.

"Mmmm. I am, aren't I?" she agreed. "I need a shower."

She stepped back from him and bent over, pulling off her shorts, letting them fall to the floor. A slow smile crept over Remus' face. He followed her as she slowly walked backwards through the house, keeping her eyes fixed on his. She reached around to her back.

"A nice, long shower." She unhooked her bra and took it off. She tossed it to him and he caught it. "You know," she said, looking him up and down. "I made you all dirty too." He let her bra drop to the floor as ripped off his robes and his shirt in record time.

Krystal smiled and let her eyes wander over his chest, biting her lip as she longed to kiss him. She had reached the bedroom doorway as she put her thumbs under the sides of her panties and pulled them away from her hips. Remus' hands were unbuckling his belt, but stilled as he stopped and watched her.

Krystal held his gaze as she removed her last article of clothing, kicking it towards him. Her eyes dropped to his pants and he took the hint, his hands quickly undoing his fly and shoving his pants off. He hopped on one foot, trying to pull his shoes off. By the time he was naked, Krystal had disappeared from the doorway.

He hurried into the bedroom, hearing the sound of a shower off to the side of the room. He approached the bathroom, slowing as he saw Krystal already in the shower, letting the water sluice over her body as the dirt and mud was washed away. Remus stood and watched her. He remembered all those years ago when he had first seen Krystal naked. Back then, he couldn't believe that someone like her would ever want him. The same feeling hit him now as he watched her turn to him and give a cheeky smile.

"Wash my back?" she asked, the teasing smile fading a little as she couldn't stop her eyes flicking downwards. He grinned and opened the shower door.

"Back.' he said taking the soap off her, holding it with one hand as the other went to her hair, pulling the elastic out of her ponytail, her hair falling to her shoulders.

"Front." He looked down at her breasts as he soaped up his hands. "Top"

He took her hands and pressed against her until she was leaning up against the shower wall.

"Bottom." He whispered the last word as he leaned in to kiss her.

Krystal thought she was heaven as he caught her lips with his. She felt his tongue flick at her lip and she opened to mouth to deepen the kiss. His soapy hands slid up her arms, rubbing the foam all over her skin.

As Remus pulled back a little and ran his hands over her chest, Krystal's mouth moved to his neck and shoulders, her tongue licking the beaded water off his hot skin, enjoying the rumble she heard in his chest.

Krystal's head fell to his shoulder with a sigh as Remus' hands gently drifted over her breasts, circling them from the outside until he reached her nipples. He flicked them with his fingers, causing her to bite down. He groaned as he felt her teeth sink in.

He was trying hard to take it slow, but the full moon was that night and his instincts and senses were incredibly heightened at this time. He cupped her breast and moved his mouth in a path from her collar bone until he touched a nipple with his tongue, lapping at it until she yanked his hair in impatience. He smiled before he took it into his mouth and bit gently. He heard Krystal cry out and felt a sting as she dug her fingernails into his neck and shoulders. The pain caused a surge of lust to race through him and he moved his hands lower, wanting desperately to bury his face in her: the scent of her arousal was making him lose his mind.

Krystal felt Remus sink to his knees in front of her. He ran his soapy hands over her belly and down her legs. She gripped his shoulders as he pressed kisses over her stomach and the scars he found there. His hands had moved up her legs; lifting one over his shoulder as his mouth moved to her inner thigh.

She grasped his head and cried out as his mouth found her; his tongue flicking at her clit; his fingers moving inside her until she felt her control shatter and she pressed herself against him furiously, shudders shaking her body. One hand grasped his head to her, while the other held her up, gripping the top of the shower cubicle as her knees went weak.

As she came back to reality, she felt Remus kissing her stomach again as he made his way back up her body. As he reached her mouth, he ran a finger over her lips before kissing her, letting her taste herself on his tongue.

'God, I've missed that,' he said against her lips, wondering now how he survived so long without being with her.

'Me too,' she admitted with a smile, chuckling at his smug look.

She put her hands on his chest, pushing him into the other wall of the shower.

"My turn." Her eyes glittering, she rubbed the soap over his chest, spending a lot of time brushing each nipple, causing him to bite his lip and throw his head back. Krystal kissed his neck, along his shoulders and across his back, ensuring she moved her hands slowly over his ass as she soaped his back. She heard his growl as her hand wandered between his legs and she gently nipped the top of his arm.

She moved around so she was pressed up against his chest again, bending her knees slightly so she could take his nipples in her mouth as she brushed her breasts against him. She heard his uneven breathing and felt Remus' hand tighten on her shoulder as the other moved up to tangle itself in her hair.

Krystal's mouth and hands followed a similar path that his had on her. As she crouched on the floor of the shower, she ran her tongue over the scars on his belly and legs. He moaned and the other hand moved to her head as her tongue found his hard shaft.

"Christ!" Came the strangled cry as she took him in her mouth. She let her hand drift and caress as she used her mouth, tongue and teeth to send him insane.

Feeling himself reaching the point of no return, Remus grabbed Krystal's arms, pulling her to her feet and spinning her around so that she facing the wall. He pressed his body into her back, letting her feel his desire.

"Do you know what you do to me? No one else, Krys. No one else has ever made me feel like you do,' he gasped in her ear, his voice rough with need.

She turned her face back to him and he kissed her frantically, moving so that he stood between her parted legs. Krystal tilted her ass back towards him to allow him the access he needed and he groaned as he felt her wet heat against him.

He put his hands on her hips and pushed against her, listening to her sharp intake of breath as he slid inside of her. She leaned back into him, hearing him curse and grip her hips tighter as he began to move.

His arms moved to wrap around her, pulling her back to meet him with each thrust. One hand slipped down and stroked her, the sensation ripping a tortured sound from her throat as she felt herself begin to shake uncontrollably. Too soon Remus found himself balancing on the edge. He felt Krystal begin to come undone and he let go; falling with her, calling out each other's names.

The both of them stood, Krystal leaning against the wall, with Remus breathing hard into her neck, still pressed up against her back, shaking with the intensity of their shared experience. Remus rained kisses over her shoulders, making Krystal laugh softly. She turned around, feeling him slip out of her body and her arms wrapped around his shoulders. He grinned at her, then his head dipped to kiss her.

'Did you know it was your smile I first fell for?' she asked him when he finally raised his head again. He smiled down at her.

'Really?' he said, feeling himself flush a little. 'It was your ass that first got my attention,' he teased, laughing when she pushed him away from her.

'No,' he said, taking her back into his arms. 'It was your eyes. The way you looked at me: you made me feel like I was special - in a good way. You made me feel as though I was the most important person in the world.'

He kissed her gently. 'You still do.'

Their kiss deepened, Remus pressing her back into the wall. Their breathing was erratic when they parted, Remus moving first, turning off the shower, then pushing himself away from her. He pulled her out of the cubicle and wrapped a towel around her. He tied another around his waist, drying off a little as he led her to the bed.

They dropped the towels on the floor and collapsed on the bed, pulling the sheet over their bodies as they ran their hands over each other; laughing and kissing until their breathing became laboured; their giggles turned into moans and the dance began again.


	42. Chapter 40

**Just taking the opportunity to say thanks to all who've reviewed: The Fleaks and MoonNightLover (without whom I would have quit a long time ago), alymacron2978, Silverbug, Misundersnape and remuslives (the original).**

**They're back together now but this is fan fiction and there are still thirteen chappies. How long do you think their happiness will last? Seriously?**

**Please Read and Review. If your name isn't on the above list, I'm talking to YOU! 2000 hits - I know you're out there!**

* * *

Chapter Forty

"How did you find me?' she finally thought to ask, a couple of hours later. Remus, curled up against her back, stopped tracing patterns on her arm and looked down at her.

"I'm not sure, but I think Snape slipped your address into my pocket. I remember him needlessly groping me last night..."

Krystal turned in bed to face him, pushing him onto his back and laying across his chest. "Explain?"

Remus explained what happened the night before and how he found the paper in his robes.

"I'd had a bit to drink when I found it," he admitted. "After I sobered up a bit I realised it was an Australian address and wondered if it was your house."

He shrugged. "I took a chance, shook off the Death Eater following me and look how well it paid off," he said, kissing her nose.

She smiled and said, "He never said anything."

Remus looked at her, confused. "Who never said anything?" She stretched as she answered him.

"Severus - when he was here." She looked startled as Remus abruptly sat up, making her fall off his chest.

"Snape was here? With you?" He looked angry and Krystal sat up as well.

"Yes. Last night. He came to see if I was here and if I was alright. He also wanted to let me know that none of the Death Eaters knew I was alive…. what is wrong with you?" she exclaimed as Remus got out of bed and pulled his pants on.

"What is wrong with me,' he snapped as he did up his fly, "Is that there still seems to be some kind of relationship here between you and Snape and I'm not thrilled about it." He finished with his pants and turned to glare at her.

"Last night was the first time I've been in the same room with him in years. Severus and I are…..well, I don't exactly know what we are. But I know what we aren't, and we aren't involved like that - we never have been, you know that." She looked incredulously at Remus.

"Are you jealous? Of Severus? After what we just did, you think what? That I could just run off to Sev for a nightcap?" Her voice began to rise as she got angry.

"What happened when he came here last night?" Remus demanded, his temper getting the best of him.

Krystal got out of bed and strode to the closet. She pulled a dressing gown on, walked over to where Remus stood and poked him in the ribs.

"I was fixing his five broken ribs and internal injuries, if you must know. And then, once I'd finished, I jumped his bones and shagged his fucking brains out!"

She was yelling now, and she spun around to leave the room. Remus grabbed her arm stopping her and spinning her back to face him.

"Don't push me, Krystal. You defend him; even though he killed Dumbledore; even though he had a hand in killing James and Lily. He always knows where you are when I don't have a clue if you're dead or alive. What am I supposed to think? You ran to Sirius the first time we fought….."

She pulled her arm out of his grasp and with a sharp movement of her hand, pushed him up against the bedroom wall. Remus hit the wall hard. A pale Krystal glared at him, her anger making her eyes shine silver.

"You're supposed to trust me," she hissed at him, her voice dangerously quiet. 'And don't you dare bring Sirius into this.'

He launched himself at her, grabbing her by the arms and throwing her down on the bed with him on top of her. She tried to cast a charm but he held her hands down on to the bed. She was shaking with anger now, and could feel him trembling as well.

"You are mine,' he growled in her ear. "I want to rip him apart when I think of him with his greasy hands on you."

Krystal bucked against him, trying to push him off her. "He has never… we have never been involved like that. Remus, he's like a brother. God, what has gotten into you….." She stopped talking as a realisation hit her. It was a full moon tonight.

She looked carefully at him and saw the wild look in his eyes, confirming her suspicions. She let her body go limp and lowered her eyes, waiting until she could feel his body relaxing before she raised her head a little.

"I love you, Remus. I'm yours. There has never been anyone else - ever. It's always been you, only you."

She spoke softly near his ear. His breathing slowed and he relaxed his grip on her wrists. She lifted her head and kissed his shoulder. He looked at her and she slowly slid her hand up his arm until it touched his face. She stroked his cheek and raised her face to kiss him there. Her lips grazed his other cheek, his forehead, nose, eyes then his mouth. Softly, tenderly. Tracing the line of his lips with her thumb, she pressed kisses along his jaw which she finally felt release its tension.

Remus suddenly dropped his head onto her shoulder, his mouth kissing the skin beneath it. Krystal made him look up at her and saw that the wild look had been replaced with one of shame. He made a move to get off her, but she wrapped her legs and arms around him, forcing him back down on top of her.

"I know it's not you. I know it's the full moon,' she said. 'I'm sorry. I forgot; I shouldn't have pushed you now."

He leaned down and kissed her, deeply and passionately. When he broke the kiss he put his forehead to hers.

"It's not your fault - it's mine. I….I've been ridiculously possessive since you came back; and the full moon just intensifies the feelings,' he said, his face strained. 'I don't know what's going on with me. I'm so sorry, Krys. I don't deserve you."

Krystal smiled, as he echoed her sentiment of the night before.

"I completely agree,' she joked. "But see the problem is that I love you - too late for me, I'm afraid."

He smiled back a little sadly, and her heart melted. She took his face in her hands, looking into his deep blue eyes.

"Remus, after all that's happened, I don't blame you for what you're feeling. I know you'd never hurt me.' She saw pain flash across his face, and he shook his head.

Krystal kissed him lightly, then said, 'I knew what I was getting in to when I fell for you all those years ago. I'm strong enough to love you; to love your shadows, if you're strong enough to love mine."

He shook his head, his eyes shining as he said, "There is so much darkness in me, Krys," but she interrupted.

"If there were no darkness, there would be no light, and _that_ would be a tragedy.' She smiled and stroked his hair. "I love you, Remus. All of you."

She kissed him, and he responded, his hands moving to undo her robe, sliding it open. With a soft moan, she reached for his pants, undoing them and pushing them down. Their movements were unhurried, stroking and caressing until they joined, whispering their adoration for each other as they reached the peak of desire and fell.

* * *

They lay together for a long time. "I have to go," murmured Remus.

Krystal nodded against his chest, reluctant to let him leave. Neither of them moved for another minute.

"I really do have to go." His voice was low and miserable, as he sat up.

He gave her a small smile and stood, running his hands through his hair, trying to smooth it out. Krystal stood as well, straightening her robe. Remus took her hand as she led the way back out to the veranda, picking up the clothes he'd eagerly discarded earlier. He finished dressing quickly as, seeing a clock, he realised it was later than he thought. He had worked out the time difference and he was cutting it close. He still had to apparate back to his house for the transformation that night before he was too weak to risk the long trip.

Krystal watched him, her face showing her concern. She knew the agony that awaited him and wished she could stay with him; or take the pain for herself. Remus guessed what she was thinking.

"I'm used to this, honey,' he said quietly, taking her face in his hands. He kissed her softly. "I love you, Krys. I'll be back as soon as I'm strong enough to apparate." She watched as he walked to the edge of the property, and, with a final wave and a smile, disappeared.

* * *

After he left, Krystal dressed and was pondering dinner. Her last meal had been several hours ago, and since then she'd only had some chocolate Remus had found and insisted on feeding her. She smiled as she remembered what they had done with that chocolate. Remus could be very imaginative when he wanted to be.

She shut the cupboards, losing interest in food as she imagined how horrible Remus' night was set to be. She turned to leave the kitchen, when she heard a voice calling her name. For a moment, she didn't understand then it hit her - The Trace. The voice came again, more urgently now and she recognised it. It was Hermione. She was asking for help.

Krystal felt a shock run through her. She grabbed a jacket and some shoes from the veranda and heard the voice again. She concentrated on it, closing her eyes as her mind focused. When she began to feel as though her head would explode, she slowly turned on the spot, apparating.

* * *

As her feet hit the ground, she staggered a little and opened her eyes. She was on the top stair of a house. She looked at the door and saw the serpent door knock. She was at Grimmauld Place; Sirius' house. Krystal held her hand, palm down against the door, hearing the locks click.

She slowly opened the door, holding her hand in front of her as she entered the hall. She heard raised voices coming from the left and she followed them cautiously. The kitchen door was ajar and she saw Hermione and Ron crouched over a figure on the floor. Krystal pushed the door wide open and the two friends jumped up, revealing the person on the floor.

"Harry?" Krystal rushed to kneel beside him. His face was pasty and clammy and his breathing was rapid. "What happened?' she demanded of Hermione as the younger woman knelt beside her.

"He was hit with a hex; I don't know what it was. None of the healing spells work!" Hermione was crying and Krystal grabbed her arm.

"Stop it!" she snapped. "Pull yourself together, both of you!" She turned to include Ron in her reprimand. "Give me a wand."

Hermione held out her wand and Krystal snatched it from her saying, "Ron, get some wet washers. Hermione, get the potions pouch I gave you. NOW!" She roared the last word as they hesitated. They ran off in opposite directions as she leant over Harry.

Krystal tore open Harry's shirt, looking for any visible signs of a curse. Nothing. Damn! She rolled him onto his side to check his back. There was a small red burn mark near his ribs. Krystal touched it - it was ice cold.

"Shit!" she swore, frightened now.

She recognised this Death Eater curse - it slowly froze your internal organs. It was an incredibly painful way to die; your organs slowly shutting down; the burning inside as ice crept into your veins. It wasn't a common hex: she knew no spell to reverse this; had no potion available to counteract it's effects.

She rolled Harry onto his back; his lips were deep red, almost black. He was shaking now. Hermione burst back into the room.

"I can't use any of those," Krystal said in a slightly panicked voice. "Get me some of that hot water."

She held Harry's head and shoulders in her lap as Hermione ran to the cauldron of hot water hanging over the fire. Ron came back into the room with the washers.

"Put them in the hot water," Krystal ordered. Hermione put a bucket of hot water on the ground and Ron threw the washers in.

"What's wrong with him? What can we do?" Ron was almost as pale as Harry. Krystal shook her head as she wrung out the washers and laid them over Harry's chest.

"I don't know. I can't counteract this; I don't know the counter spell; I don't know ….." She stopped speaking. There was someone who could help, but it could cost him his life. She looked at Harry. 'I have no choice,' she thought.

"Get his Invisibility Cloak" she demanded.

Ron ran from the room. Grasping Hermione's wand, Krystal stood and pointed it at Harry. She cast a warming spell on him, hopefully that would keep him alive until she got there. Ron raced back into the room with the cloak.

She took it from him and said, "You both stay here; do not leave under any circumstances; I will be back. Help me, Ron."

She and Ron lifted Harry out onto the top step of the house. Krystal held him in a standing position and arranged the cloak over him. She spun on the spot and apparated.

* * *

There was a crash. Krystal and Harry knocked over a bin as they appeared in the dark, dingy street. A dog barked as a light inside the house next to them turned on. Krystal was making sure the Cloak covered Harry when a hand grabbed her upper arm.

"What are you doing?" a man's voice hissed near her ear. "Are you trying to get us both killed?" She turned to the dark haired man who was still grasping her arm.

"You've got to help me, Sev." She pulled the Cloak off Harry. "It's Harry, he was hit with one of those Freezing hexes; I can't do the counter curse; I haven't got the potion.."

Severus cut her off. "Cover him back up and levitate him around the back." He turned and quickly walked back inside the house. Krystal did as he instructed and was relieved when Severus opened the back door.

Severus took Harry in his arms and carried him inside the house, depositing him roughly on a couch. He looked at the wound on Harry's back, then disappeared into a storage room. Krystal knelt on the floor beside the couch. Harry's breathing was getting more shallow, his chest barely rising now. The spell was crushing his lungs. Krystal's hand was shaking as she stroked Harry's hair.

"It's ok, Harry. It will be ok. Just hang on a little longer. Please, just hang on ."

Severus emerged and hurried back to the couch with a potion and his wand. "Lift his head," he ordered and Krystal hurried to obey. He held the potion to Harry's lips and forced it down his throat. He gave Krystal a jar from inside his pocket.

"Roll him over and rub this on the wound. It may draw out some of the cold." Krystal did exactly as he asked, rubbing the hot, thick cream on Harry's injury as Severus held out his wand and mumbled incantations under his breath.

After a minute, he stopped and checked Harry's heart rate.

"Still not good," he muttered, beginning the incantation again, moving the wand over Harry's chest. Krystal knelt on the floor watching as Severus repeated these actions twice more before he stopped.

"I think that might have done it," he said wiping his forehead. Krystal looked at Harry. His colour was better and his breathing was more regular and less laboured.

Severus disappeared into the cupboard again as Krystal stood and covered Harry with a thin blanket that was over the back of the couch. She was shaking badly now; the shock hitting her. She sank to the couch, sitting on the edge next to Harry. Severus put his hand on her shoulder as he came up behind her.

He handed her a pouch. "Give him one vial every twelve hours until he is feeling normal again. He may have some residual effects; but they won't last long: a few days maybe." She nodded and took the pouch.

He noted her trembling hands as he moved to crouch in front of her.

"These are for you now." He handed her a vial. "Drink it: it's for the shock," he added softly. She downed the potion in one gulp.

Once she'd dropped the vial, Severus took her hands in his and began to gently spread liniment over them; the ingredients soothing her red, sore skin. She hadn't noticed until then that her hands were blistered from the hot water she'd plunged them into earlier.

The ointment was soon all gone and Severus pointed his wand at her hands. She felt as though she had dipped her hands in cold water and this time when she looked down, her hands were still a little red, but unblemished.

"I feel like I'm always saying thank you to you," she said looking at the dark haired man crouched in front of her.

"That's because you are" he said dryly as he moved to the chair opposite her. There were a few moments of silence. "You shouldn't have come here."

She nodded, "I know; you were the only person I could think of who could help." A muscle spasmed in Severus' jaw, but he said nothing.

Krystal looked back at Harry, who now appeared to be breathing normally. Severus spoke quietly, "I heard that there was a problem at the Ministry today. Some intruders…' he looked at Krystal closely. "Yaxley was sure that he hit one of them."

He looked at Harry and then back at Krystal. "They are being incautious. I don't know what they could possibly have been thinking, but to enter the Ministry…. It's suicide."

He stood abruptly as Krystal heard a sound of scuffling overhead. "Quickly, go!" Severus said, his voice low and urgent. "Wormtail is up there - he was asleep; he'll recognise you." Krystal grabbed the pouch and put it in her pocket. Severus lifted Harry and passed him to Krystal.

As she prepared to Apparate, he handed her another pouch. "You may need these in the future." He stepped back and hissed, 'GO!'

She turned on the spot and whispered "Thank you" as she and Harry disappeared.


	43. Chapter 41

**Had to give you some more sex before I retired for the evening. (Hmm, that sounds kind of dirty). **

**I just completed "Practice" and am not thinking straight as I'm dehydrated from crying - go and see why (see how I worked that in?)**

**We are heading on a downhill slope now (12 chappies left). Enjoy the sexing (no plot in this chappie) and see you tomorrow. R/R or I'll leave you hanging...**

* * *

Chapter Forty one

Krystal spent the next day at Grimmauld Place, not wanting to leave until Harry was completely better. He had recovered well, the only residual effect being a low temperature, which was slowly coming back to normal with the help of the potions.

The others had filled her in on their misadventure at the Ministry, their search for the Horcruxes leading them there, and, although she had felt it her duty as the only adult around to soundly abuse them for taking such a chance, she secretly admired their bravery and dedication to their task.

She'd sent a Patronus to Remus to tell him where she was, and late the next evening he arrived; appearing in the doorway of Harry's room as Krystal was giving him his nightly dose of potion.

"Remus - what a surprise! What are you doing here?" Harry asked a little sarcastically, grinning and slyly glancing at Krystal, who'd jumped up off the bed as if she'd been scalded.

"I was concerned about you, but you are obviously in very good hands," said Remus, walking straight to Krystal and taking her hand.

"Hi!" he said with a smile, not taking his eyes off her.

"Hi, yourself," she returned, beaming at him, badly wanting to kiss him.

"Gods, will you two take your soppy grins outside please, I'm not a well person, and you're making me feel nauseous," came Harry's voice, muffled as he put a pillow over his head.

Krystal and Remus laughed and, after checking Harry was really fine, they left quickly, saying their good nights. Remus pulled Krystal into a dark corner in the hall and they spent a few minutes properly greeting each other, emerging quickly, straightening their clothes as Ron and Hermione came thundering up the stairs.

The two teenagers stopped abruptly as they saw Remus and Krystal emerge from the shadows, adjusting their clothes.

"Good to see you, Remus!" said Hermione, her face a little pink as she tried to hide her amusement. Ron turned red when he saw their flushed faces and realised what they'd been doing in the corner.

As they opened Harry's door, they heard Ron mutter, "When did that happen?" to Hermione. They heard Harry say something as the door closed, then a moment later, muffled laughter.

"Good to know we're entertaining them,' Remus said with a grin as he put his arms around Krystal. "Now, since our secret is obviously out, where did you say your bedroom was?"

She giggled as she dragged him along the hall to a spare room. He looked around the bedroom. "Hmmm, I remember this room."

So did she - that's why she'd chosen it. It was the room they'd had their first kiss in all those years ago.

Krystal watched Remus throw himself onto the bed, casting a Silencing Spell with his wand before dropping it onto the side table. She locked the door and quickly followed, laughing as he pulled her down on top of him. She kissed him, the gentle kiss soon heating up until she was pulling his shirt roughly over his head.

Once he was naked from the waist up, he did the same to her, pulling her bra roughly off with her shirt. Both of their fingers fumbled at his belt; hers slapping his away as he held up her progress. He slid his hands under her skirt and tore off her panties, tossing them across the room, as she laughed at his eagerness. He pushed her skirt up to her waist, and moved his hand between her legs.

She raised herself, shoving his trousers and underpants down to his knees, as he rained kisses all over her exposed skin. He bit a nipple and Krystal cried out in both pain and lust. She lowered herself onto him, biting back a scream of pleasure as he slid all the way into her. Remus groaned loudly into her chest, the sound muffled against her skin. She kissed his temple and as he raised his head to look at her, she moved.

His hiss was audible as she pinched his nipple then pushed him onto his back to lave it with her tongue. She set a steady pace, moving up and down on him slowly at first. Krystal kissed him all over; when she reached the sensitive spot on his neck, he growled his pleasure, gripped her hips and slammed himself into her hard. She cried out and sped up her movements.

Remus sat up and kissed her, her nipples brushed his chest and Krystal felt herself getting close to the end. Remus' hands slipped onto her butt, pulling her closer to him as his teeth grazed her neck and he whispered hot, sexy, dirty words into her ear.

"God!' she ground out, as his voice sent her straight over the edge, moaning into his shoulder as his fingers bit into the flesh on her ass. He succumbed as well; groaning her name over and over into her breast. They fell back panting against the pillows; Krystal on top of Remus; Remus still inside her.

* * *

They lay there for several minutes, catching their breath. Remus ran his hands up and down Krystal's back gently, listening to her heart rate gradually slow. When he spoke, his voice was raspier than usual.

"Well, I don't remember the night ending like that all those years ago."

Krystal laughed into his chest. "You've got a short memory,' she retorted, her lips brushing his nipple as she spoke. "It came damn close - you were pretty easy.'

It was his turn to laugh, and he rolled them so they were lying side by side. He reached over and grabbed his wand, casting Cleansing spells and contraceptive spells over them.

"So,' he said, throwing the wand down, "Tell me what's been happening."

She talked, telling him everything; hesitating only a little before telling him about her visit to Severus.

"But Harry's fine now, there are no lingering effects?" he asked in concern.

Krystal shook her head. "No, he seems healthy and in good spirits. They are talking about getting on the road again soon."

Remus looked at her closely. "Still can't tell me what they are doing?" Krystal stretched and Remus was momentarily distracted by the sight of her breasts near his face.

"You know I can't," she said, slapping his hand as it crept around to her chest. He laughed and pulled her close.

"And Snape,' he said, feeling Krystal tense. "He really helped Harry?"

Krystal nodded adding, "Harry doesn't know. He doesn't remember anything and I Obliviated the other two." He looked at her curiously.

"I can't let Harry know that Sev saved him; if he knows, he could inadvertently give him away and get him killed."

He nodded. They lay in silence for a few moments before Krystal sat up and pushed Remus onto his back, laying across his chest. "You don't still think there is something going on between us, do you? Because you have to know by now how I feel about you."

Remus raised his head and kissed her. "I do know. I got a bit jealous but….I'm sorry, I just can't get used to you being so close to him; to anyone else."

He paused and stroked his hand over her hair. 'I'm sorry I bought up Sirius. I know we weren't together, and I practically drove you to him. I guess I was a bit more jealous than I realised about the connection between the two of you.'

Krystal smiled and moved, straddling him again. 'I could have had a man who was known as 'The Tongue' for very good reasons, and I chose you. I was attracted to Sirius, the same way you were attracted to that little Hufflepuff cow you dated once…' He laughed then grimaced as she pinched him. 'But I loved you. I still love you. I never stopped loving you.'

Her words bought a smile to his face, and she kissed him deeply before saying, "Don't you know that I adore you?" She kissed him again, quicker this time.

"Do you?" he said, when she released his lips.

"Mmmm," she said, kissing his neck now. "Do I need to show you again, how much I want you; how much I need you?"

As she spoke, her mouth made it's way lower, using her tongue to trace the patterns of his scars. Remus' breathing quickened and heat coursed through his body to settle in his groin.

"I think you might, actually!" The words came out in a rush as she flicked her tongue over his nipple. His back arched a little as she moved to the other nipple and scraped her teeth over it.

"Let me think. How can I show you just how much I crave you; how incredibly hot you make me?' she whispered as she sank down further, kissing the skin around his navel, feeling the muscles in his stomach clench.

He could only let out a strangled moan as her tongue licked his skin, then circled his belly button. He could feel her hand encircle his cock and her breath was hot as she spoke, whispering filthy suggestions as her tongue lapped at his tip and her hand stroked up and down his shaft. She chuckled softly when he thrust up towards her impatiently.

All talk stopped as she took him in her mouth and he cried out, clutching at her head. Krystal ran her tongue over him, taking his cock deep into her mouth; into her throat. He groaned and his hands tightened in her hair. He thrust up, as she scraped her teeth lightly along him. She felt him tensing and sped up her movements until he was arching off the bed and, once again, urgently calling out her name.

* * *

As his body relaxed, Krystal kissed back up his body, ending at his lips. When she pecked them softly, he managed to raise his hand and run it around the back of her neck, pulling her lips harder against his, tasting himself on her tongue before moving away, panting.

'God!' he exclaimed breathlessly. 'I'd almost forgotten how good you were at that.' She gave a soft laugh, and kissed him again.

'I'd almost forgotten how much I enjoyed doing that,' she said softly, running her tongue over her lips. 'And how good you taste.' His eyes darkened as she spoke and he pulled her down to his lips again.

"So, did I manage to convince you of just how much I love you?' she asked, when he let her mouth free.

"You did, and I am incredibly grateful. When I am able to move again, I'll show you just how grateful,' he mumbled, sliding his hand down her back to pinch her butt. She giggled and kissed him again.

"You are the only man I have ever done that to,' she murmured against his lips. Despite his exhaustion, he felt a stirring in his lower body.

Her eyes twinkled mischievously as she slid off him and lay down, her head on his chest, and said, "Yeah, Severus hates blow jobs."

Her giggle turned into a squeal as he rolled on top of her, laughing as he kissed her. His laughter faded as he broke away from her, looking down at her face.

'You're the only woman who's ever done that to me. I wouldn't let Tonks.' She looked at him curiously and he shrugged.

'It was after we did that for the first time that I realised I loved you,' he explained, watching as he played with her hair, letting it run through his fingers. 'I just couldn't bring myself to do it to anyone else, or let them do it to me.'

He looked over at her, and saw the tears in her eyes. 'I don't have that problem now though,' he said with a grin, happy when he saw her smile. "And I think I'm ready to show my gratitude.'

She laughed and he kissed her, then his head moved down her body, murmuring as he did, telling her exactly how he intended to go about thanking her. That was until he reached her abdomen, and he put his mouth to better use.

* * *

There was a soft knock at the bedroom door the next morning and Krystal groaned in complaint, pulling the blanket higher over her head. The knock came again, louder this time. With a quiet curse, Krystal threw back the covers and dropped her legs over the side of the bed. She stood to answer the door, pulling a robe over her naked body as she did. She ran a hand through her hair and opened the door, yawning as Harry turned to smile at her.

"Good morning,' he said brightly. "Did I wake you?"

Krystal leant against the door frame and rubbed at her eyes, nodding. "What's the time?' she mumbled, her voice cracking a little.

"It's around 10 o'clock,' Harry answered with a sly look on his face. "We let you sleep in. I know you had a late night: someone's Silencing Charms need work."

He grinned at Krystal's reddening face and looked past her to the bed, where Remus had just sat up; bare chested and yawning. He froze when he saw Harry, then gave him a sheepish smile.

"Morning Remus - you look tired. Rough night?" enquired Harry, ducking around the door frame when a pillow came pelting across the room at him.

Krystal shooed a smiling Harry away, promising to get dressed and come downstairs straight away.

"Don't get distracted by…anything!" called Harry, who they could hear laughing all the way down to the kitchen.

"Prat,' said Remus affectionately, stretching as he lay in bed, the sheet sliding down to his hips. Krystal stared at the flesh the fallen sheet revealed for a moment then closed her eyes tightly.

"Please get some clothes on,' she begged, feeling tingling through her body at the sight of his stomach; his hips; the slight tenting that his growing erection was causing...

Remus grinned, seeing her discomfort. "Come and say good morning to me first," he said with amusement as he patted the bed next to him. Krystal shook her head, refusing to look his way.

"Come on, I won't jump you. I can control myself, you know," he teased. Krystal grabbed her clothes from a nearby chair and opened the bedroom door.

"It's not _your_ lack of self control I'm worried about," she muttered as she slipped out the door to the sound of his laughter.

* * *

Remus was in the kitchen sitting at the table with a cup of coffee when Krystal walked in. His face was serious; all the laughter of just minutes ago gone.

"What's going on?" Krystal looked from Remus to Harry, who was standing with Ron and Hermione on the other side of the room.

"We're leaving today. We've spent too long here already,' said Harry.

Krystal nodded and said, "I thought you might." She poured herself a coffee and leaned against the counter. "Do you know where you are going to go?" she asked.

"We've got some ideas,' said Hermione.

"You're all still determined to do this alone?" Remus broke in, his voice low. "You know, we could help - I could help - if you let me."

The teenagers looked at each other, their faces guilty."This is the way Dumbledore wanted it. I'm sorry Remus, but I can't tell you what we're doing," replied Harry, regret obvious in his voice. Remus stared at Harry for a few moments, then stood and turned to Krystal.

"I'll see you upstairs." His voice was tightly controlled and his body tense as he left the room.

Harry and Hermione looked distressed and Ron said, "We can't tell him, doesn't he understand that we would if we could?"

Krystal looked at them, standing in the kitchen, looking betrayed.

"He knows that. Remus cares about you all and he wants to do something constructive to help. It's frustrating - all this sitting around. Waiting for something we know is coming is almost worse than facing it. He'll come around," she reassured them.

Harry picked up his knapsack and slung it over his shoulder. Hermione came forward to hug Krystal. Krystal took the opportunity to remind the younger woman about the new potions and to call if they needed help. Hermione nodded and moved out of the way as Ron approached. Krystal smiled as he stood awkwardly in front of her.

She reached over and hugged him, feeling him put his arms carefully around her. "Stay strong,' she whispered to him. "Remember to keep your guard up."

Ron nodded, his face flushed as he gave her a lopsided smile as he picked up his bag and joined Hermione in the hall.

Krystal lifted her shoulders and bit her lip as Harry looked at her. He smiled.

"This is goodbye for now, I guess,' he said.

Krystal nodded, finding herself unable to get any words past the constriction in her throat.

"We'll be fine,' he said, his eyes betraying his nervousness. "You taught us well." He stared at her in silence for a moment, then moved quickly, hugging her tightly.

"Thank you. I'd be dead if it weren't for you,' he whispered. She hugged him back, wishing she could tell him that she hadn't been alone that night.

"Please, please be careful," she whispered back to him, closing her eyes against the tears that threatened to spill over. She felt him nod and pull away.

He quickly looked away from her, blinking his own eyes rapidly.

"Watch out for Remus for me?" he asked.

"I'll be fine; you worry about yourself," came a low, raspy voice from the doorway. Harry and Krystal both turned to see a grim faced Remus standing there. He took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry - I was being a fool,' he said walking to Harry and putting his hands on her shoulders. "Be careful, yes?'

Harry nodded and the men embraced, exchanging softly spoken words.

* * *

They left the kitchen and met the other's in the hall. Harry and Ron held onto Hermione's hands as they apparated off the top step of the house. Krystal moved to Remus and snuck her hand into his. He looked down at her, and she saw his concern echoed on her face. He pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head.

"He's got a good head on his shoulders and you taught him well,' he said into her hair. "Try not to worry." She put her arms around his waist and heard a rumble of laughter in his chest.

"What?" she asked, pulling back to stare at him.

"He told me to make an honest woman of you. Cheeky sod."

Krystal grinned. "I don't think that's possible,' she teased. "You've corrupted me far too badly for me to ever be honest again."

Remus grinned now. "I've corrupted you, have I? I don't think it was me waking you up at 3 o'clock this morning with my mouth on your…"

He broke off as she kissed him, returning it with growing excitement.

"We shouldn't stay here either," she said into his neck.

"No,' he agreed, shuddering a little as he felt her teeth scrape against the skin just above his pulse. She looked up at him, amused by how easily he was distracted.

"Hang onto me,' she said, leading him to the top step and closing the door behind them. "I don't want you to splinch off anything important."

He laughed as he held her hand and she spun them into blackness.


	44. Chapter 42

**Death Eaters catch up with Remus and Krystal, and Severus makes an appearance. **

**WARNING: Sex by numbers (6 and 9 to be specific).**

* * *

Chapter Forty two

Remus and Krystal settled into her Australian home, and into the routines they had started all those years ago at Campbell Cottage. They spent their first few days together barely getting out of bed, but soon, after a visit to the store for supplies, their attention reluctantly moved to more mundane matters, the most contentious of which was their financial situation.

Krystal was well off, having had substantial inheritances from her grandparents and parents, so she'd never had to worry about the fact that she couldn't work. Remus though, had suffered poverty most of his life, and was proud; refusing to consider taking anything from her, or to even discuss the subject of money when it was raised, but Krystal, using her considerable power over him in bed, tried to convince him to talk about it.

'I just want you to listen to what I have to say,' she argued against his skin, biting his hip gently before shifting her attention to his thighs, refusing to give him what he wanted until he agreed to listen to her.

As she ran her tongue along his inside thigh, he caved a little and moaned his compromise to maybe agree to discuss it.

'Maybe?' she questioned, her breath teasing the sensitized skin at the tip of his cock, making him arch up towards her lips in desperation.

'Krys, for God's sake!' he ground out, when she moved her mouth away from him again, kissing his stomach.

'Remus, you know what I want to hear,' she whispered against his groin, not knowing how long she'd be able to keep this up herself. The scent of him was driving her out of her mind, and she just wanted him in her mouth.

Deciding she needed something to tip him over the edge, she straddled his leg and began to rub herself against him, her hand sliding down to stroke herself as the other ran gently over him, ensuring she was giving him no relief.

'Fuck!' he exclaimed loudly, his eyes opening when she moved.

'Well, if you can't give me what I need…' she began, gasping as, reaching the end of his tolerance, he sat up, and pulled her down sideways onto the bed.

'I'll do whatever you want, alright,' he said, swinging around so that he was kissing her stomach, breathing in the smell of her arousal.

'Good enough,' she groaned, shifting so she could take his prick in her mouth, hearing the cry wrenched out of him as her tongue flicked over the tip of him.

He grasped her hips and pulled her towards him, parting her legs as his own mouth found her heat, his fingers sliding into her. She moaned as his tongue found her clit, circling it until she pressed herself closer to him, then sucked it hard. He felt her begin to spasm, tightening on his fingers, and, as she groaned, the vibrations on his shaft sent him over the edge, thrusting into her mouth as they both came hard.

* * *

'What did I just agree to?' he asked a few minutes later, nipping her thigh before moving around to kiss her.

'To do anything I wanted, I believe,' she teased, wrapping her arms around him as he rolled her over onto his chest.

He looked at her, his smile fading a little. 'As soon as I can, I'll find some work, Krys. I won't let you support me….' he started, but she put her hand over his mouth.

'My parents left everything to us, not just me - for our future,' she said, her eyes sad as she thought again about how much she'd had taken from her. Her parents, and the time she and Remus should have had together.

He frowned, but she continued. 'I put half of it away for you, but I couldn't figure out a way to get the money to you in a way that you would accept it. Albus told me he had to almost force you to take anything for the cottage, and I knew you wouldn't believe a long lost relative had died and left you everything.'

Remus shook his head, but she insisted.

'Yes, Remus. The money is yours. I've got enough from my family that I don't ever have to work if I don't want to. The interest from your money should have very nearly doubled it in all this time. I'll contact Gringotts and get it transferred to your vault tomorrow.'

He looked at her, trying one last argument. 'They were your parents, Krys. The money belongs to you. I won't take it.'

She sat up and glared at him. 'They wanted us to be alright, Remus. To not have to worry if we couldn't get work…'

'Because of me!' he said loudly, sitting up too. 'They didn't want you to have the kind of life I've had - they wanted you to be fine, to have enough.'

Krystal looked at him, shaking her head. 'My parents loved you, Remus, and they knew we wanted to get married, to spend our lives together. The money was for us. Please respect their wishes,' she asked softly, taking his hand.

It was her last words that broke him. He had loved her parents as well. They had supported he and Krystal despite all the misgivings they had about their daughter spending her life with a werewolf.

Remus took her in his arms. 'Alright. But the money is ours. Not mine - ours. Yes?' She nodded, and they lay together in each others arms, lost in their own thoughts and memories.

* * *

Weeks turned into months and they heard very little from Harry. Their home was isolated and, apart from the occasional visit to the shops for supplies, they rarely saw anyone, which suited them as they were both used to solitude.

Remus disappeared every month to a safe house for his transformations; they as yet hadn't found anywhere nearby to purchase Wolfsbane potion so he could stay home as a harmless wolf. He used the time away from Krystal to catch up on Order news and in particular with the Weasleys. Krystal had used the trace to track the teenagers to ensure all three were still alive and still travelling; giving Remus some news to share with Ron's family. They were often invited to the Weasley's, but Krystal wouldn't visit too often, concerned that they were being too closely watched and she would be recognised. Remus wouldn't go without her, not wanting to leave her alone more than he had to.

They did, however, accept an invitation to spend Christmas at Bill and Fleur's cottage: Krystal's feature's Transfigured for the journey there to avoid any Death Eaters who may be watching the young Weasley's home. It was cold, and the biting wind and snow shocked them as they arrived from a dry, hot Australian summer. Hugs and gifts were exchanged. They laughed over lunch, avoiding talking about anything serious, before ending the day sitting in front of a warm fire with a Firewhiskey.

Talk eventually turned to the war, and Bill filled Remus and Krystal in on what had been going on: the disappearances; the destruction; the deaths on both sides. Remus was particularly shaken by the news that the Auror, Mad Eye Moody had been killed.

"He and Tonks were very close,' he said, concern evident in his voice. "Have you seen her? Is she alright?"

Krystal understood his anxiety, but couldn't help the little bolt of jealousy that shot through her heart. Bill said that he had been in contact with Tonks and reported that, while she had been distressed by Mad Eye's death, she was coping - and she'd starting seeing a fellow Auror.

Krystal watched Remus closely when Bill shared this news. She was disturbed to see his far away look, and after several more minutes of polite conversation, his expression hadn't changed. Feeling a bolt of insecurity, Krystal excused herself to use the bathroom.

She splashed cold water on her face, gasping as it touched her hot skin. After wiping the droplets off, she caught sight of her face in the mirror. Her face was hot to the touch, but pale; her eyes wide and fearful. She was a little taken aback at the intensity of her reaction.

She wasn't normally a jealous person, but all her insecurities came rushing back at the sight of Remus' seeming displeasure with his ex fiancée's new relationship. Her stomach clenched painfully and a wave of nausea swept over her. Krystal gritted her teeth, breathing deeply until the sick feeling passed, and said sternly to herself, 'He loves you; he really loves you."

A few more deep breaths later, and she felt she was ready to face the others again.

As she left the bathroom, she walked into Fleur and Bill hugging and kissing each other at the doorway to their bedroom. Fleur caught sight of Krystal as Bill tried to pull her into the bedroom, and she winked at her, smiling.

"I think Remus is ready to go," she said, yanking her arm free of Bill's grasp and coming out to hug Krystal, saying softly, "I see how he looks at you; there is no one else in his heart."

Krystal whispered a grateful thank you; she hadn't realised how obvious her distress had been. Fleur gave her a reassuring smile and walked past Bill into their room.

Bill whacked her on the behind as she moved past him and grinned at Krystal.

"Married life suits you," she said, smiling as he wrapped his arms around her in farewell.

"Mmm,' he agreed. "It'd look good on you too,' he added cryptically as she pulled away and laughed.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, confused by his comment. Bill just shrugged and made a shooing motion with his hands.

"Goodnight, Krystal,' he said as he backed into his bedroom.

Remus looked up as Krystal walked back into the living room. "Bill and Fleur…"

"I know," she interrupted. "I saw them upstairs. Are you ready to go?"

She had noticed he still wore a distracted look and hated herself for the uncharitable thoughts that ran through her head about Tonks. She gave herself a little shake. For Gods sake, she'd broken up the woman's' engagement; she had no right to any ill feeling towards her. She took Remus' offered hand as they stepped out into the cold.

* * *

Together they made their way to the edge of the home's enchantments to apparate. Krystal was rubbing her hands together to try and warm them, when she heard Remus cry out a warning. She spun around to see a Death Eater behind her, wand raised with red light already speeding towards her. She flung up her hands and a white flash deflected the curse.

Remus, now behind her, had his wand out and shot a Stunning spell, but it just missed: the man having to throw himself on the ground to avoid it. As Krystal turned to Remus, she saw to more intruders behind him. She shouted at him and he turned, casting a shield in front of him.

Krystal held her shield and with her other hand, sent a spell at one of the Death Eaters bearing down on Remus. It hit right on target, knocking the now unmasked man over. She felt Remus' back against hers as they turned to fight.

The Death Eaters sent a stream of spells at them; Krystal and Remus giving back as good as they got. Krystal cast a Cruciatis curse that got through her opponent's defences and sent him screaming to the ground. She held the spell, breathing heavily as she turned to see how Remus was doing and her heart stopped. He had just been knocked over by his attacker and was struggling to his feet, his wand raising to defend himself. The Death Eater was too quick though, screaming "Avada Kedavra".

Krystal broke the curse she'd been holding and threw herself at Remus, hitting him low and knocking him back over. She felt the killing curse just miss the both of them. They lay on the ground as the masked Death Eaters advanced on them. Krystal flung her arms out and seized each man with a charm. She moved her arms high and sent them flying up into the air. She slammed her hands together and the charm broke; but not before the men collided hard in mid air, their screams sickeningly cut off as they came together with a crunching sound.

Remus raised his wand as the men hit the ground heavily in front of them, pulling himself and Krystal to their feet, preparing for a return attack, but the two men didn't move. Krystal Immobilised them and approached, crouching down next to them to check their pulses.

"They're dead." She was stunned. In her frightened state, she must have used more power than she'd thought. She'd killed them.

Remus, his face hard, put his hand on her arm, dragging her to her feet again. "We have to go. Now!" he gasped urgently. 'Before more arrive.'

Krystal saw the third Stunned Death Eater stirring. "He's still alive." She looked at Remus, feeling sick about what she was about to say.

"We can't let him go. He saw me, Remus."

Remus was still pulling at her arm. "We'll hide you. He won't find you…."

"NO!" She yelled as she broke free of his hold. "If You Know Who knows I'm alive, he'll know Severus helped me." She looked back at the man who was now beginning to moan under his breath. "We can't let him go."

Remus looked at her pale, determined face. "Fine. I'll do it,' he said, steeling himself for the horrendous task.

"No." She said the word firmly. "This is my fault. I'll do it." Before he could argue with her, she raised her hands.

"Avada Kedavra!' she yelled, mustering all the hate she felt towards the masked soldiers who had taken so much from her. Green light hit the Death Eater and he lay still.

Krystal, her shaking hands still outstretched stared at him as though she couldn't quite believe what she had done. She felt a hand on her back and a quiet voice bought her back to reality.

"Come on now. Honey, please." She lowered her hands and turned to grasp Remus' arm so she could apparate them home. As she spun on the spot, she glanced back at the figures lying prone on the snowy ground.

Before everything went black, she heard Remus say in a soft voice, "I hope he's worth it."

* * *

The heat slammed into them as their feet hit the parched earth. She staggered into Remus, knocking him off balance and sending both of them to the ground, Krystal landing on top of him. They were just outside the house's protection; Remus rolled Krystal and himself the few feet until they were safe behind the enchantments.

They lay there for a few moments, catching their breath; Remus now spread across Krystal. Finally, unable to stand the heat any longer, he rolled to the side and struggled out of his winter clothing. He had just gotten his jacket and gloves off when he noticed Krystal wasn't moving.

"Krys?" He moved back to her. She was staring up at the sky, her breathing shallow. "Krys!" he said loudly, giving her shoulders a shake.

She looked at him, her eyes pleading. "I can't…" she croaked, her voice frail.

He suddenly realised what an enormous amount of energy she'd just burnt - using a Killing Spell without a wand took massive effort and apparating them back to the other side of the world had to have taken everything she had left. Now that the burn of adrenaline had slowed, she was weak. He quickly worked to peel off the excess clothing she'd been wearing for the cold. The extra heat would be draining her already exhausted energy resources. She was wearing only her underwear and a tank top when he lifted her against his chest and carried her into the house.

She felt hot as he lay her on the bed, sweat making her skin slippery. Remus moved fast: he stripped the rest of her clothing off and went to the small ensuite, wetting washcloths and placing them on her skin. He disappeared again and returned with a bottle of water, which he held to her lips as she drank.

Krystal began to shake, her teeth chattering and, although it scared him to see her like that, he knew that it meant her temperature was dropping, and her strength returning. Her skin had cooled considerably when he touched her and he removed the cloths, throwing them onto the floor before pulling a sheet up over her body. He watched her closely, running his hands over her arms and legs, trying to relieve some of the tremors that shook her.

It took nearly half an hour for her to fall asleep; for her body to begin to restore itself. Remus watched her chest rise and fall regularly and felt relief surge through him. He felt a little weak himself as he stood on shaking legs. He removed his own clothing and walked into the larger bathroom off the hallway. He didn't want to disturb her rest with the sound of running water. He washed quickly, dressing just as fast and he returned to the bedroom to check on Krystal.

She was still sleeping when he carefully sat on the edge of the bed. He couldn't help stroking her cheek gently as he watched her.

'She's so beautiful,' he thought, running a finger softly over her lips, watching as the corners of her mouth turned up at his touch. Remus remembered the first time he'd seen her on the Hogwarts Express. They were both eleven and the same thought had struck him then - she was beautiful.

'What on earth are you doing with me?' he asked softly, smiling down at her. He eased himself onto the bed, curling up next to her, watching her as she slept, lost in his memories of their time together and thoughts of the future they could have.

* * *

A creak from the kitchen bought him back to the present. By now he was used to the settling of the old house but when he heard another creak, he sat up quickly. That wasn't settling - that was a loose board in the kitchen that he hadn't fixed yet. It creaked when it was stood on. Someone was in the house.

He stood quickly, raising his wand. He saw a shadow pass the window and shot a Body Bind hex that way, becoming alarmed when he saw it hit a shield and bounce off. He ran out into the living room, wand raised, just as Severus Snape moved out of the kitchen, his wand also held high.

Remus felt a jolt of anger when he saw the man. For years he had tried to think the best of him, to respect Krystal's judgement. But after Dumbledore's death, and learning of the part Snape played in Lily and James' murder, he couldn't pretend anymore.

Neither of the men lowered their wand. "Lupin," Snape said, making his name sound like an insult.

Remus glared at him. "I'd prefer you knocked next time, Snape - or better yet, let this be the last visit you make to my girlfriend."

Snape sneered at him. "Strange, I don't hear Krystal complaining about my visits," he taunted. Remus took a step forward.

"Tell me. What is it you find so fascinating about other people's girlfriend's? You wouldn't leave Lily alone, and now you are hassling Krystal."

Severus' lip curled as he responded. "Again, Lupin, Krystal has never asked me to leave her alone. Perhaps she doesn't mind my visits as much as you do; she certainly didn't sound put out when she was promising to strip me last time I was here."

Remus furiously aimed a Stunner at him; the dark man deflecting it, and quickly sending a Body Bind hex back at the werewolf. Remus parried the hex, sending it into the wall next to Snape, tearing chunks of plaster from the wall.

"You're both going to pay to have that fixed," said Krystal, walking slowly up the hall and around the duelling men to sit on the couch. She curled up in the corner against the pillows, the sheet wrapped around her.

"Don't mind me,' she said sarcastically, curling her legs up under her. She waved her hand at them. "Continue wrecking my home."

Both men were breathing heavily and looking at her, as she glared at up at them. Remus lowered his wand first, closely followed by Severus. There was a white flash and their wand's flew into Krystal's hands.

"At least I know my belongings will be safe now,' she said, shoving the wand's down the back of the couch behind her.

"Have a seat gentlemen,' she said in a don't-mess-with-me tone. "It's my turn now."


	45. Chapter 43

**BTW: You may have noticed I'm not very loyal to DH in this fic. If you've read my profile, you'll know DH (or as it's known in my house - 'I can't believe I paid 30 dollars for that piece of crap') is NOT my favourite HP book. I've taken the bits I needed and rearranged them to fit in with my own fic. ****Sorry if that offends anyone but...tough! Cheers. :-)**

**WARNING: Oh, so sexy! Enjoy. I did and now I'm off for a cold shower!**

* * *

Chapter Forty three

"I don't have time for this." Severus made a move towards the door, but Krystal slammed it shut with a flick of her finger.

"Sit down, Severus,' she ordered. "Or so help me, I will hurt you in ways even The Dark Lord couldn't imagine. And you..,' she turned her finger around on Lupin. "If you ever want to see me naked again, sit!"

Her tone and eyes brokered no argument. Both men glared at her for a moment, then sat in chairs opposite each other.

"I can't keep getting pulled in two directions like this. One day, I'll snap." Krystal looked from one man to another, her voice softening a little.

"I know you two are never going to sit across from each other at Christmas dinner, but I'll settle for a little civility when you are in this house. Remus, Sev is my friend, I care about him, but we have never been more than friends; you have no reason to be jealous."

She looked at Severus, who raised his eyebrow at her. "It'd be like snogging my brother."

Remus also looked at Severus and was surprised to see the corner of his mouth twitch a little, and that his dark eyes held a flicker of amusement.

"And Sev, you have to show some respect for Remus. I love him. This is his home now. He's here to stay."

Remus grinned as Severus grimaced. Krystal leant forward. "I'm not asking you, I'm telling you."

He looked at her, his dark eyes glittering. "Are you finished?" She stared at him for a second longer.

"Yep!" She sat back. "Now, why are you here?"

"I recovered three dead Death Eaters today, very close to Bill Weasley's home. I wondered if that was your handiwork."

Remus frowned and opened his mouth, but Krystal spoke first.

"They attacked us. We fought back. We were stronger."

Severus glanced at Lupin, then back to her. "I told you that you were taking a chance travelling back to the country. Does this have anything to do with Potter?"

Krystal shook her head. "Do you know where he is?' Severus asked.

"Why?" cut in Remus. Severus didn't look at him, but spoke to Krystal.

"The Dark Lord is getting agitated. We haven't found Potter and he has not yet been fruitful in his own plans. He was very angry when he found out he was down three servants."

Krystal frowned. "Are you hurt?"

Severus shook his head impatiently, standing up and pacing. "No. But when the Dark Lord is frustrated, people die." He looked at Krystal. "Potter's mission. What do you know about it?"

Krystal looked at him, her eyes narrowing. "You know I can't tell you; Albus told you what you needed to know..."

Severus spun to face her. "I NEED TO KNOW WHERE POTTER IS !"

Remus stood quickly, moving closer to Krystal, who seemed stunned by the man's sudden anger. "Get out!' he said loudly.

Severus ignored him and kept his eyes on Krystal. "I also have a job to do,' he said, his voice lower now but still agitated. Krystal stood up slowly, putting a retraining hand on Remus' arm.

"And will you tell me what your task is?" she asked softly, knowing he would refuse; that he would not betray Albus' trust. He growled as he strode towards the door.

"Sev." He stopped, turning to her as she held up his wand. He froze, giving her a look that suggested his patience was coming to an end.

Krystal walked over to him, standing close as she spoke. "If it helps you, I'll find him; find out how far along in his mission he is but Sev, will you be alright until then? How much time can you give him to do what he has to do?"

Severus tried to take his wand from her hand, but she stopped him, placing her hand over his.

"It is vital that I talk to him before he confronts the Dark Lord," he said.

Krystal looked at him appraisingly. "It's you isn't it? The last piece of the puzzle - the thing that Harry can't know before the end? You are the one that holds that piece?"

He didn't respond, but she saw the confirmation flick through his eyes before he could hide it.

"You'll go to Potter?" he asked. Krystal nodded. "Tomorrow?"

Severus had spoken urgently and Krystal frowned. 'Sev..' she began, but he bought up his other hand to grasp hers tightly.

'Tomorrow, Krystal,' he said, a trace of pleading in his voice. 'Please?'

"Alright," she agreed, startled. Severus never pleaded, never begged. She gazed at him, questioningly as, taking his wand, he stepped back. He stared at her for a moment, as though wanting to say something else, but finally turned and opened the door.

He hesitated then turned to look at Lupin. 'She's too good for you."

Remus stepped forward. "I know,' he replied, looking at Krystal with a small smile.

Snape stared at him for another second then walked out.

* * *

Krystal watched him go, her face troubled. Remus moved to stand with her, putting an arm around her waist. "He's a good man; he just made bad choices. We are very much alike," she said, her voice sad.

"I don't know,' he said softly, his breath tickling her ear. "You're a lot sexier than he is." Krystal felt a slow smile spread across her face.

She turned to Remus, who slipped his arms around her. "Are you feeling better?" he asked, looking at her carefully.

"Much better," she responded, putting her arms around his neck and pressing herself closer to him, feeling his instant physical response.

"Good,' he said, 'Because I had plans for tonight, and they didn't include you being unconscious."

He leant down and kissed her: slowly, teasingly; erotically.

Krystal felt heat engulf her, yet she shivered in his arms. Her legs were unsteady and she forgot to breath as his mouth made her feel sensations she'd never felt before. His hands slipped slowly under her bottom and he lifted her, sliding his hands over her thighs, helping her wrap her legs around him. He walked back to the bedroom, still kissing her as she clung to him.

Slowly, Remus lay her on the bed, resting on his elbows above her. His tongue stroked her lips as his hands undid the sheet she was wrapped in and spread it, revealing her bare skin. He ran his hands lightly over her body and she shivered again. He smiled against her lips, aroused by her response to him. He quickly waved his wand, making his clothes Vanish then threw it down. His mouth moved to her neck; her shoulders; her chest - taking his time, moving slowly. By the time he took a nipple in his mouth, Krystal was shaking with need and begging him to put her out of her misery. He nipped her breast, saying "Be patient. We've got all night."

Krystal cursed; telling him loudly and graphically what she wanted, as he licked her other nipple. He smiled again and decided to help her, moving his hand to brush her warm centre. She arched off the bed, mewing noises escaping her throat and she thrust her hips against him. Remus felt a wave of need wash over him as she cried for relief. He had a lot more planned for this night, but if she kept making that noise, he wasn't going to make it. He stroked her clit again, firmer this time and then once more, before she let out a long keening cry and pressed herself hard against his hand as she came.

Remus gritted his teeth, in his head listing all the Quidditch teams he could think of, trying desperately to not to listen to the noises she was making. When she stopped moving and lay still in his arms, he raised his head.

"Better?" he asked with a grin. She smiled and shook her head disbelievingly.

"One kiss!" she said, a little stunned and breathing hard. "One kiss did that. Jesus!"

She looked at him as he laughed softly. "Why don't you come here and see if you can do that again?' she said, a dare in her voice.

"Oh, I'll be doing that again,' he promised her. 'That was just the appetiser."

He ducked his head, chuckling at the look on her face.

"Remus,' she said, amused. He kissed her stomach and heard her sigh.

"Remus," she said again, her voice not as strong this time as he continued, kissing her hip; feeling her hand grip his shoulder as his tongue traced the V shaped scar there.

"Remus."

She breathed his name this time as his mouth found the spot his fingers had teased earlier. Krystal gasped as she felt his tongue enter her, grasping his hair as he used his tongue and mouth to bring her body back to the peak; not letting her go until she was gripping the sheets, twisting them in her hands and calling his name again, over and over.

As she relaxed, Remus kissed his way back up her body, hearing a groan escape when he reached her breast.

"You're trying to murder me,' she moaned, breathless.

He smiled and licked the skin on her throat, hearing another groan. He worked his way around her jaw to her ear and encircled her ear lobe with his tongue, feeling her hips begin to lift again as he sucked it into his mouth.

"Now, for dessert,' he whispered, hearing her small cry.

He moved between her legs, feeling her heat as he entered her, sliding smoothly until they were completely joined. Krystal sighed as she felt him fill her.

"God!' he gasped, breathlessly. "You are heaven."

She laughed a little. "And you're the devil,' she replied, her laugh turning into a cry as he moved inside her.

He looked at her, his face amused at her reaction until she wrapped a leg around him and pulled him deeper. He let out a sharp breath and kissed her; their bodies finding a natural rhythm. They lost themselves; melding together as they moved in unison. As the tension increased, Krystal needed more; needed to end the exquisite torture. "Please, Remus,' she implored him as her hands pulled at his hips.

"What do you want? Tell me,' he said, his voice rough as he desperately tried to stay in control.

"Harder. Please. I need…" Her voice trailed off as, at her words, he lost his grip on the last threads of his restraint and began to thrust into her hard and fast; just as she'd begged him to.

"I love you,' he said, leaning in to kiss her. It became a mantra; over and over he told her he loved her until she dragged her fingernails down his back and hissed his name. Her release sent him flying; soaring as he felt her body tighten around him. His whole body shook as he collapsed on top of her, his breath coming in gasps.

* * *

"I'm too old for this," he groaned a few minutes later.

He heard her muffled chuckle. 'You're not getting any younger,' she agreed, laughing when he pinched her butt.

'I believe you are only a few months younger than me,' he retorted, kissing her neck.

'I'm reaching my prime,' she said, cheekily. 'Everyone knows women reach their sexual peak in their thirties and forties, whereas men are finished by twenty.'

'Finished, huh?' he growled, raising his head and glaring at her. 'I believe this has-been just made you scream three times.'

'That _is_ true,' she conceded with a grin. 'Maybe I'll stick with you for a bit longer. But the minute I fall below two orgasms per day, I'm outta here.'

Remus smiled. 'I don't think that's going to be an issue,' he teased, with a mischievous look in his eye. 'You're like a goddamn firecracker. You always have been.'

He kissed her hard. 'Give me a couple of minutes and I'll be able to work on number four for the night. What was the record? Five, wasn't it?.'

As he spoke, he pushed against her slightly, feeling his already hardening cock slide deeper inside her.

"Fuck, are you sure you haven't done a spell or something?' she groaned as he hit sensitive skin. 'Maybe some pills or potion to keep it up?'

He chuckled against her neck, leaning on her. 'All I need is you, baby,' he said.

He heard her breathless laugh and tried to lift himself. 'I'm squashing you,' he protested as she held him where he was.

"I like it,' she replied softly.

* * *

There was a minute of silence then she laughed quietly. "You know, at Bill and Fleur's tonight, I was worried that you regretted leaving Tonks."

Remus lifted his head and shoulders, his startled face looking down at her.

"I know. It was my turn to feel a little jealous, I guess,' she said shrugging.

He laughed, a little harder than necessary. "What's so funny?" she asked, wondering if she should be offended.

"You thought I wanted to get back with Tonks?' he asked, grinning like a maniac.

She nodded, confused as to why that was so funny. "You seemed so distant, like there was something on your mind and I thought…."

"You idiot,' he said affectionately, his laughter fading but his smile remaining. "You…you are all I ever wanted; you are…everything."

His smile was lost as he struggled to explain to her how he felt. He shook his head.

"This isn't exactly how I wanted to do this, but…" Remus took a deep breath. 'I should never have let you make me wait, Krys. I should have listened to my heart.'

Krystal was slightly taken aback by his intensity. "Remus, what….?"

He put his fingers over her mouth and she was silent.

"Marry me."

He looked into her shocked eyes.

"What?" he heard her say, the word muffled by his hand.

He moved his hand away. "Marry me, Krystal O'Connor. Be my wife."

She stared at him in silence for a moment, and Remus started to feel a little anxious. Then, she smiled: a beautiful, radiant smile, that he had only ever seen once before on her face - the night they'd first kissed.

"Yes. Yes, Remus. I'll marry you."

* * *

Morning came quickly, and soon Remus was whining.

"Why can't I come too? I'll be good, I promise. No ravishing in front of the children. Put up a Silencing Charm when you talk to them so I can't hear you."

Krystal laughed and swatted Remus across the back of the head as he mumbled into her neck. She was trying to dress, but it was difficult with his arms around her; his mouth moving against her skin, not to mention that he kept pulling her clothes off as quickly as she could put them on.

"C'mon Remus!" She turned and put her arms around his neck. "It's only for a few hours, the day at the most. You can survive without me for that long. You've got the rest of your life to be with me."

She saw the look on his face. "I'll be fine,' she said reassuringly as she realised how concerned he was.

She broke out of his grip and quickly pulled some clothes on. Remus threw himself back onto the bed, watching her with a frown.

Krystal smiled when she saw the pout on his lips. "Don't be such a baby!' she scolded crawling up the bed until she held herself over him.

He reached up and pulled her down onto him. "Be careful. Don't take any chances for that….for Snape,' he finished hastily, seeing her expression. She nodded and kissed him.

It was a simple kiss, but it bought unexpected tears to Krystal's eyes. She suddenly felt uneasy; their kiss had felt final, like a kiss goodbye. She'd felt this sensation once before - the evening he had left for his transformation eighteen years ago . The night before everything changed.

She tried not to let Remus see her disturbed expression as she pulled away and stood up. She picked up a bag of food she was taking to the kids, just in case they weren't getting enough to eat. He followed her out of the house to the edge of the enchantments and, as she made to move out of their protection, he grabbed her arm and spun her around, kissing her hard. After several moments, he lifted his lips but stayed close, his forehead against her temple.

"Stay."

The request was whispered, but Krystal heard the undercurrent of uncertainty in his voice. He'd felt it as well; the feeling that this was goodbye.

"I can't."

She pulled away and stepped back past the barrier, mouthing "I love you" as he disappeared. She concentrated on Harry, feeling her mind rushing as the Trace located him and she disapparated.

* * *

Her head was pounding when she felt her feet sink into something cold. The crunching noise told her that it was snow, and she began to shiver as a freezing wind hit her. Krystal looked around her. There was no sign of them.

'Good,' she thought. They were using the protection. She let her mind open, listening for their voices in her head. She heard them immediately, their thoughts bouncing off the inside of her skull.

She called out softly, "Harry?"

The voices in her head stopped suddenly, then she heard them all think the same thing. "Yes, it's really me. Everything's fine except that I'm freezing my butt off out here. Think something and I'll repeat it back to you to prove it's me."

Three individual thoughts entered her mind at the same time. "No, Remus isn't with me, Harry. Hermione, I performed the Cruciatis curse on you, and Ron: that's none of your damn business!"

A tent appeared in front of her, and she saw an untidy dark head emerge. Harry smiled. "It is you!"

Krystal closed her mind again as she came forward. "Let me in, I'm bloody cold," she complained.

"Tell me what Ron thought," Harry said with a grin.

She pushed at him. "Get inside,' she muttered, a little amused by the red headed boys interest in her ass and what covered it.

'Must run in the family,' she thought, as Charlie's creeping hands snuck into her mind.

She looked around in surprise at the roomy interior of the tent. "And here I was thinking you were sleeping in caves and eating from garbage cans,' she said smiling at the three teenagers in front of her, who grinned back.

She put the bag of food on the table and Harry and Ron lunged at it.

"What are you doing here?' said Hermione, brushing past Ron abruptly to hug her.

Krystal choked back a laugh when she saw Ron's pink face over Hermione's shoulder. She caught his eye and he turned even redder, looking away quickly.

"Can I borrow a jacket first, please?' she asked, sitting at the small dining table and warming her hands on a jar of portable fire. "I forgot how cold it would still be here."

Ron took his jacket off and gave it to her, still not meeting her eye.

"Thanks, Ron!' she said brightly, enjoying the boy's discomfort. Cheeky sod.

Hermione glared at him before she fetched Krystal a cup of coffee. Harry sat next to her at the table.

"Everything is alright,' she repeated, looking at his concerned face. "I just needed to know you were ok and if you were having any luck."

She said it as casually as she could. If Harry thought she was reporting to Severus, he wouldn't tell her anything. The others sat and for the next hour they talked, telling her about their journey so far. They had destroyed a Horcrux already. Harry told her about the strange Patronus he had seen in the woods; the Patronus that had helped he and Ron destroy the locket Horcrux.

"Do you know anyone with a doe Patronus?" he asked.

Krystal was torn. She really did want Harry to know Severus as she did, but if she told him that it was probably the Death Eater's Patronus, he would ask too many questions. Questions that could put Severus' life in danger. But she had promised Harry she wouldn't lie to him. She spent too long debating with herself: Harry had caught on.

"You do know who it is," he said, excitedly.

He and the others sat up straighter. Krystal looked at them, choosing her words carefully.

"Your mum had a doe Patronus, Harry. But obviously, she could not have cast it."

She wasn't lying; Harry didn't have to know Severus and Lily had shared a Patronus. Krystal took a sip of her coffee and then quickly changed the subject.

"Do you know where to go now?" Harry and Hermione exchanged a glance.

"We've got some ideas,' said Hermione. Krystal nodded.

"Good. Well,' she said, standing. "I'm off."

She still hadn't lost that troubled feeling and suddenly wanted to get home. She'd found out enough to keep Severus happy. The trio looked startled at her eagerness to leave.

"Something's wrong, isn't it? You're acting strangely,' Harry said, his brow furrowing.

"Walk me out, Harry," she said, moving towards the opening of the tent. She waved at the others. "Keep safe guys ok."

Hermione and Ron looked a little stunned as she ducked out of the tent, followed by Harry.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

She shook her head, her sense of unease was rapidly turning into panic. "I don't know. I just can't shake this feeling. I need to get home."

She shrugged the Ron's jacket off, shivering as the wind buffeted her. "Keep going, Harry. You're doing really well."

With a quick hug, she moved away from the tent and apparated back home.

* * *

As her feet struck the ground, she swayed, taking a moment to acclimatise to the change in temperature. It took her another few seconds to realise that something was amiss. She looked around warily, before it hit her. The enchantments were missing; they'd been breached! She ran towards the house, her heart sinking when she saw the open door. When she got inside, she stopped in her tracks. She felt as though a bucket of ice water had been thrown on her.

The house had been trashed: curtains torn down, cushions ripped open, broken glass and china everywhere.

"Remus!'

She ran to the bedroom as she called his name.

"Remus!"

Her voice rose to a scream as she called him over and over, running through the house, throwing doors open as she checked every inch of their home. Krystal returned to the living room and, unable to stand on her shaking legs, sank to the floor.

He was gone.


	46. Chapter 44

**DON'T KILL ME! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME FOR SEPARATING THEM AGAIN OR FOR WHAT I'M ABOUT TO DO TO REMUS!**

**WARNING: There is definitely no sex in this chapter. Violence though, so brace yourself.**

* * *

Chapter Forty Four

Remus lay on a cold, damp stone floor, his arms bound behind him. He shivered. It felt as though the chill was penetrating his bones, freezing the warmth of his blood. He curled his body up tighter, hoping to warm himself, feeling his bruised body scream at the change in position. He wondered if Krystal had returned to the house yet. He clenched his jaw as he thought of how panicked she would be when she found him gone.

Less than ten minutes after Krystal had disapparated, the house's protection had fallen. Five Death Eaters were too many for even a talented wizard such as he, and Remus had been Stunned. He'd awoken in this cellar; not knowing where he was or who was in the house above him. He was alone, with only his questions to keep him company. How had they found the house? How did they get through the protection?

Remus felt a rush of anger. There were only four people who knew about the house. Krystal was one, he was the second and the third was dead.

That only left Snape.

He heard footsteps on the cellar stairs and he staggered to his feet. He might be unarmed, but he wouldn't face his attacker lying down. A crack of light appeared at the door, and a voice drifted in.

"I am armed. Do not attempt to escape. I will not hesitate to kill you."

Remus felt rage burn through him as Severus Snape appeared in the doorway of the cellar.

"You son of a bitch!"

A red haze of anger blurred Remus' vision as he ran at the man. With a swipe of Snape's wand, he was thrown back against the wall, his head cracking hard against the stone, making everything go black for an instant.

"You really are nothing but an animal aren't you, Lupin?' came Snape's loud, taunting voice. Remus shook his head, trying to focus after the blow to his head. Snape pointed his wand at him again almost lazily.

"Crucio!"

Remus fell back against the wall, his twisting and writhing sending him to the floor. He tried to grit his teeth against the pain, but a scream was torn from his throat. Just when it felt like the agony would never end, it did. Breathing heavily, he shakily tried to lift himself off the floor. He refused to give Snape the satisfaction of seeing him give up.

"Where is Potter?"

Remus halted, still on his knees. What? Confused, he looked up at the other man.

"Where is Potter?" he repeated, yelling this time.

"I don't know,' Remus responded, his surprise making him answer.

Had Snape lost his mind? He knew that Remus couldn't lead him to Harry.

Before he could say anything else, Snape sent him flying across the room. He hit the wall again, this time hearing a crack as a sharp pain shot through his chest.

"You and your friends spent years torturing me at school,' he said loudly, walking further into the room. "I'm going to enjoy repaying the favour, Lupin."

The Death Eater shut the door behind him. He walked over to where Remus lay, his wand pointed at the werewolf's heart as he crouched beside him.

* * *

"Don't say a word, just listen."

Snape's voice was urgent and low as he leant closer to Remus. "I'm supposed to be making you tell us where Potter is. I am going to have to hurt you, a lot, to make it look and sound real. Get ready."

Snape stood and yelled, "Crucio!"

Remus screamed in agony as the spell hit him. It was removed quicker this time, and Snape again crouched beside a panting Lupin, whispering quickly.

"Burgess followed you. He knew the house was there, they were close to breaking through the enchantments themselves. Burgess doesn't know Krystal, he didn't recognise her, but he knew you. He told The Dark Lord he could get to you and you could lead them to Potter."

Snape stood. He pointed his wand at Lupin again and a flash of light blinded him. Remus groaned harshly in pain as a gash opened up his chest, crimson splashing onto the floor. Stepping over the blood, Snape leaned close to Lupin's ear.

"They followed you both to Bill Weasley's. Their attempt to take you then failed. I came last night to try and make sure Krystal was out of the house today. I asked her to do the only thing I could think of that would get her out of the way. When I saw her leave I called them, saying I'd gotten through the protection and that you were alone."

He stood again and looked down at Remus. "It was you or her, Lupin. I don't regret my choice." He held up his wand, ready to strike.

Remus looked up at him. "Don't pretend you did this to try and help her," he spat at the man. "You were looking after your own skin as usual. You're a coward, you always have been."

Snape's face was white and furious. "You know nothing about me!"

As he hissed the words, he bought his wand slashing down, sending Remus slamming into the wall again. He heard more cracks as his arm broke, the agony stealing the breath from his lungs. Spots appeared in Remus' vision as the pain began to shut his mind down.

"You have no idea,' Snape hissed furiously into the other man's face. "I have risked everything to help Krystal; even watching as she…."

He stopped, his voice cracking. Remus shook his head.

"Why?' he said, his voice weak but refusing to give in. 'Why have you done all this? Do you love her?"

Snape moved back and looked at Remus, his dark eyes narrowing.

"You really are jealous, aren't you? She…she knows all about me, yet still …….'

He shook his head. "It is for her that I will try and get you out of here alive, but I won't risk exposure of her or myself - not for you."

He spun on his heel and left the room. Remus groaned and tried to look down at his chest. The bleeding seem to have slowed, but he had already lost a lot of blood. He was feeling woozy and the pain from his broken bones were making his head spin. He rolled onto his side and retched from the fresh burst of pain. The pressure on his ribs increased with the spasm of his muscles and his vision went fuzzy. He retched again; and this time, mercifully, passed out.

* * *

Later that night, Severus took a moment to steady himself as he appeared outside his Spinner's End home. He had apparated after a particularly intense conversation with the Dark Lord, who probed his mind mercilessly, looking for an answer as to why his most trusted servant had so far failed to get him Potter's location. Severus shook a little as he stepped up to his front door.

He wasn't sure how much longer he could protect Krystal or himself. Lord Voldemort was furious that Lupin hadn't told Severus where Potter was hiding. Severus had only just managed to keep his mind defences up against the powerful Occlumens. As he opened his door, he sensed a presence behind him.

"Get inside,' a familiar voice ordered, coldly. He did as he was asked, moving quickly. He had known she would come.

Krystal stared at Severus through silver eyes as he turned to look at her.

"Krystal…,' he began, his words cut off as her fist made contact with his face, hitting him hard and sending him careening into the wall.

"I wanted to feel that one,' she hissed, watching as his hand went to his bleeding mouth and nose. Before he could get his wand up, she'd used a charm to immobilise him. She put her hand up to his throat, but did not make contact. Despite this, Severus felt a pressure on his neck, compressing his throat until he could barely breath.

"Understand that I will do whatever I have to in order to find Remus,' she said, her voice harsh. "I will do it as slowly and painfully as I can and I will keep you alive for the whole thing."

Her hand raised and swiped across his face, leaving a wet, bloody trail. Krystal raised the Immobilising Spell, and Severus stumbled up the hall and into the living room.

"Wormtail.." he warned, but she shook her head.

"I've already taken care of that little rat,' she said, her voice sending a tremor down his spine. "Where is Remus?"

Severus sank into a chair. "He's alive…'

"Is he alright?" she demanded.

"He is alive,' he repeated loudly. "Battered and bruised, but alive. Krystal, I had to help them take Lupin. He was being followed too closely for me to step in."

Krystal stared at him, breathing heavily, her tone disbelieving. "So you betrayed me? You took them to my house?"

Severus looked up at her stricken face. He'd done a lot of things he wasn't proud of; things that plagued his sleep, but the look on her face cut deep into his soul.

He nodded as he said, "Yes - not to betray you, but to save you."

Krystal looked like he'd slapped her as she abruptly sank to the couch behind her. "That sounds familiar,' she mumbled as she shook her head.

"This is karma,' she said, almost to herself. "This is retribution. I betrayed my friends and now it's come back on me."

She began to rock back and forth, shaking her head. Severus got to his feet and knelt in front of her, grasping her hands.

"You didn't betray them, Krystal. And I didn't betray you. Don't go weak on me now. If you want him back, you'll have to fight for him."

She looked at him with haunted eyes. "What happened?"

"Burgess has been tracking Lupin. He found out where he went on the full moon and followed him from there on the last cycle. He saw him go to the Ministry afterwards and found out that he'd gone to the Auror office."

Krystal looked up at Severus, a frown on her face. "The Auror office? Are you sure?" Had Remus gone to see Tonks the full moon before Christmas?

Severus nodded. "That visit made Burgess believe that he was sharing information about Potters' whereabouts with Nymphadora Tonks or Kingsley Shacklebolt. They are known to have supported Dumbledore, and suspected to be involved in the Order, and of course, Lupin and Tonks were to be married."

He paused and looked carefully at Krystal. "Go on,' she said, her expression unreadable.

"When Lupin left, he managed to follow him to your house. There was a lot of excitement when Burgess told us all about your place. The Order wasn't known to have any safe houses out of the country and the others were sure that they would find Potter there. Yaxley, at the Ministry was working on a way to get through the enchantments, and would have succeeded in a day or two, even if I hadn't helped them. The Dark Lord was impatient, though, and wanted him taken right away. Burgess arranged for the assault on you at Bill Weasley's house - they followed you there."

Severus' mouth and nose had stopped bleeding. He stood and sat on the chair next to Krystal. "When I found out what was going on, I tried to warn you, but you were already at the Weasleys. I couldn't interfere to stop the attack without revealing myself, but I was there. If they had overpowered you and Lupin, I would have taken care of it. I didn't need to though."

Krystal stood and paced, unable to stay still any longer. "Why didn't you warn us? Christmas night, when you were at my house? Why didn't you tell us what they were doing?" Severus stood as well, stepping in front of her as she attempted to walk past him.

He grabbed her shoulders. "I was on guard duty. I was supposed to be watching Lupin and following him if he left. If you had both disappeared that night, I would have revealed myself."

Severus shook his head and let go of Krystal. "I still have too much to do before that happens. All I could do was try and get you out of the way the next day, and then let the others in once I knew you were gone."

Krystal looked into his eyes and saw the truth there as he said, "I'm not sorry I did it this way. I made a promise to Albus that I would protect you - and I'll be damned if I'm going to fail because of Lupin."

She ignored his slight on her lover and asked, "Where is he? How can I get to him?"

Severus' jaw tensed. He had been thinking about this and there were no easy answers. "He is being held at Malfoy Manor, in the cellar. There are a number of enchantments protecting the property, it will nearly impossible to get you in or Lupin out. If I help you, I will be discovered, as will you, and we will be joining Lupin. Or at least, you will be. I shall be killed." He said it nearly casually.

Krystal sat heavily back into the chair, grasping her hair madly. "What can I do? I can't leave him there, I have to help him."

'She is starting to become hysterical,' Severus realised. He pointed his wand at her and silently cast a charm to calm her. It worked almost instantly.

"Thank you,' she said, guessing what he had done.

She stood again, pacing the same patch of floor she had previously. He watched her, her face troubled, but single-minded.

"So I can't get in?" Severus shook his head. "And you can't get Remus out without detection?"

She stopped pacing and looked at him, with a small glint of hope in her eyes.

"I have thought about this, and I can't see a way," he said as gently as he could.

He saw the light fade. Krystal nodded and began walking again.

For the next ten minutes, he sat silently as she moved around the room, occasionally stopping, touching a knick knack or a book, and frowning. Eventually, she stopped and sat down next to him, her blue eyes boring into his black ones.

"Well, if we can't get in to rescue Remus, we are just going to have to get the Death Eaters to bring him to us."

**A/N: Sadly, she didn't kill Wormtail, just Stunned and Obliviated him, the little shit.**


	47. Chapter 45

**Hold onto your hats! Tonks and Krystal meet.**

* * *

Chapter Forty five

Two weeks later, Krystal tapped her foot nervously on the kitchen floor of Shell Cottage, Bill and Fleur Weasley's home. She stood up, walking over to the window to look outside, exactly as she had done just a minute before.

"Will you please sit down? I told you she said she would come." Bill Weasley said, as he looked up from his newspaper, his expression changing from frustration to sympathy when she sat down.

"Krys, I know how you are feel…." Krystal shook her head.

"Fleur is safe at home with you, Bill. Please don't tell me you know how I feel,' she snapped, resuming the tapping of her foot.

Bill resumed reading his papers until he saw a hand creep across the page he was reading, blocking his view. He looked up to see Krystal's contrite face.

"I'm sorry,' she said in a helpless voice. "I just…."

She broke off, her voice failing her, as a sob threatened to escape. Bill moved around the table and sat on the chair next to her. She looked at him, seeing his understanding face.

"This is my fault. If I had never agreed to come back, Remus would have been at home safe…"

Bill took her hands in his, saying firmly, "This is not your fault. Remus is a member of the Order as well as someone who is close to Harry. He was always going to be a target, he knew that. If the Death Eaters were determined to get at him, they would have done it, no matter where he was."

A tear ran down Krystal's face as she listened to Bill. She knew what he was saying made sense, but he didn't know about Severus and his role in Remus' kidnapping.

Bill frowned: it was obvious she wasn't taking in what he was saying. He and Fleur were concerned about Krystal's state of mind. She was moody, easily falling into despair or anger - chopping and changing quickly between the two extremes. As she was staying with them, he knew she wasn't sleeping more than a broken few hours each night. She tried not to wake them as she roamed the house, but he was a light sleeper, and often made his way down to the living room to hold her as she cried, or listen as she ranted, frustrated at how long it was taking to pull their plan together.

The stress was making her physically ill as well; she only ate a little, more often than not running to the bathroom soon afterwards. When Fleur tried to press her to eat more, she shook her off.

'I'd only throw it up,' she'd said shakily. 'I just can't stomach anything right now.'

Her weight was dropping alarmingly; Bill was disturbed to see how thin her arms were, and how gaunt her face had become.

He reached out now and wiped her tear away with his thumb. She looked at him, her sad eyes pulling at his heart, and Bill could once again see the fragility that Remus had once described to him, making him want to shield her, protect her; but he could also see the strength there - ready to surface when she needed it. He reached out and put an arm around her, pulling her towards him.

'We'll get him out. Just hang in there,' he said soothingly.

"Sorry, the door was open. Should I come back?"

Bill and Krystal moved apart and Krystal saw a young woman with pink hair standing in the doorway. Tonks' eyes widened when she saw Krystal properly.

She glanced over at Bill. "What's going on?' she asked, a little accusingly. "Where's Fleur?"

Bill and Krystal stood up, glancing quickly at each other.

Bill walked forward. "Hi Tonks,' he said. "It's alright, Fleurs' upstairs."

He looked back at Krystal, who stepped up beside him. All the vulnerability he'd seen in her face earlier had gone, replaced by determination.

"Hello, Tonks, I'm Krystal O'Connor."

* * *

Tonks went pale as she faced the woman for whom Remus had broken their engagement.

She turned back to Bill. "What the hell is going on?"

Bill said, "Come and sit down." Tonks shook her head.

"No. I don't need this," she said, spinning around and walking towards the door, forcing a cry of panic from Krystal's mouth.

"Tonks, please! Remus is gone!"

Tonks froze. A few seconds passed before she turned back to look at Krystal.

"What do you mean? Where's he gone?"

Krystal looked at Bill for help: she couldn't say the words.

Her friend obliged, saying, "He's being held at Malfoy Manor. The Death Eaters are holding him, hoping that he'll tell them where Harry is."

Tonks looked disbelievingly at Bill then turned to Krystal, as if for confirmation.

Krystal looked stricken but nodded and said, "We need your help. My information is that the protection on the property is such that it is impossible to get in unless you have a Dark Mark. So, we need to get them to move Remus, to take him somewhere else. That's where you come in."

Tonks was still staring at Krystal. "Your information? How exactly did you come by your information?"

Krystal's jaw tightened. "I can't tell you that. It's not important anyway."

Tonks stepped forward, "Of course it's important. What if you are being misled? What if he's….,' Tonks stopped and closed her eyes. "What if he's already dead, and whoever is giving you this information is trying to set a trap for us?"

She opened her eyes and glared at Krystal. "It wouldn't be the first time you've made a bad decision that got people hurt,' she said, a malicious tone in her voice.

'Tonks!' Bill said sharply, but Krystal interrupted him.

"No, Bill, it's ok,' said Krystal, her face now bone white. She placed her hand on his arm. "Can you leave us alone for a while?"

Bill turned to look at Krystal, frowning. "Are you sure?' he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Krystal smiled grimly. "I'm a big girl. And there's nothing she can say or do that I haven't earned,' she replied softly.

Bill nodded and walked past Tonks out of the room. As he brushed past the pink haired woman, he put a comforting hand on her shoulder briefly.

* * *

The two women stared at each other for a moment before Krystal sat down at the table, indicating the other chair. Tonks moved forward and sat opposite the brunette.

"Go ahead and get it off your chest if you want,' said Krystal. "But there's nothing you can say to me that I haven't said to myself, and I know I'll deserve every bit of it. But if you can get it out of your system now, it means we can get back to helping Remus sooner."

Tonks just stared at Krystal for a moment, then said, "You trust your source?"

Krystal nodded. "I do."

Tonks stood and walked over to the window, looking out just as Krystal had done earlier.

'You know he's alive? You are sure he's alive?' she said, urgently.

Krystal stood as well. "I'm sure,' she confirmed firmly.

Tonks leant her forehead against the window for a moment, before she said, "How do we get the Death Eaters to bring him out into the open? They aren't just going to move him for our convenience."

Krystal moved around the table to stand behind her. "That's where we need you,' she said.

Tonks turned. "Alright, I'm listening." She stood leaning against the counter, her arms crossed across her chest. Krystal began outlining her plan.

"If the Auror's office were to receive information that there were reasons to investigate Lucius Malfoy, to search his property; that might be enough to get them to move him somewhere safer, out of the way."

Tonks frowned. "Or they might just kill him."

Krystal shook her head. "No. They won't kill him, because if they suggest it, he is going to give them information they want. He's going to lead them to someone that they will want badly enough to trade him for."

Tonks' lip curled. "Remus would never give up Harry….."

Again, Krystal shook her head. "Remus won't be giving them Harry,' she said firmly. 'He'll be giving them me.'

Tonks frowned again. She swallowed hard and spoke.

"Remus would never give up someone he…someone he loved." It was obviously difficult for Tonks to say.

"Remus won't know he's given me up,' Krystal said firmly. "There is someone who will ensure that one way or another, that information gets to You Know Who. Hopefully, it will be enough for them to keep Remus alive to trade him for me.'

Tonks looked at the older woman curiously. "What do you mean, 'one way or another?' she asked. Krystal looked away.

"My friend is taking great personal risks to help me. Our plan could cost him his life; it has to be set up properly or…." Krystal broke off, her distress obvious.

Tonks narrowed her eyes, wondering who the source was that Krystal seemed to care so much about.

"What makes you think that they'll want you?" she asked.

Krystal smiled grimly. "Are you kidding? I'm the one that got away,' she said, her voice low. "I tricked them and killed two of their own. They're going to be real interested in seeing me again."

Krystal's eyes glinted silver and Tonks could see the darkness in her stir. "And you'll do that? Trade yourself for Remus if we can't get him out? You know what they'll do to you?"

Krystal looked at Tonks. "I will do anything for him,' she said simply.

* * *

Tonks' face tightened and she walked back to the table and sat. She twisted her fingers and spoke softly. "I hated you for a long time. I couldn't understand how he could forgive you for what you did, let alone try and make a life with you."

She looked up. "You really do love him, don't you?"

Krystal nodded. "I never stopped,' she replied.

There was a soft knock on the door. Bill put his head around the frame.

"How are we going?' he said, a little nervously.

Krystal waited impatiently for Tonks to decide. They needed Tonks' help to make this work. They couldn't do it without her.

Tonks nodded at Krystal. "It might work. I'll talk to Kingsley and try and get the fake raid set up: Malfoy has a lot of friends at the Ministry. We'll have to make certain the information we "received" is too good to ignore. I'll let you know when it's done. You'll have to make sure your informant can drop the lead about you at a moment's notice, just in case. There are spies everywhere in the Ministry. Remus could be moved or killed before we have a chance to set up an ambush."

Bill and Krystal nodded, and Tonks stood, moving to the door. "I'll get started. I'll be in contact with you, Bill."

He nodded, saying "Thank you, Tonks."

She smiled a tight smile at him, then glanced back at Krystal.

"Remus came to talk to me at the Ministry before Christmas,' Tonks said, turning around to face her with a resigned look in her eyes. "I guess I should congratulate you - on your engagement. I….. I hope you are both very happy."

Tonks opened her mouth as if she had more to say, then closed it, turned and left the house.

Bill looked at Krystal, who had sat back down. Remus had gone to see Tonks - to tell her he was planning on marrying Krystal. Her eyes teared up again.

"Did he propose?' he asked. 'He told me he was going to, but I wasn't sure if he'd gotten the chance."

Krystal smiled faintly, remembering Remus' proposal. "Yes he did."

Bill smiled. "And you said….?"

Krystal looked up at Bill, incredulously. "I said yes, of course."

* * *

The cellar door of Malfoy Manor creaked as it slowly opened. Remus looked up from the floor, where he lay; shattered from weeks of relentless abuse. His thin body shook as he attempted to rise. His body may be broken, but his pride would not let him show a beaten soul.

Severus stood in the doorway, watching Remus as he slowly rose to his feet, swaying as he faced his latest foe. He could not help but feel admiration for the werewolf who had endured the worst that the Death Eaters could bring upon him; yet still, he stood tall. Severus almost felt regret for the pain he was about to cause Lupin; the man was braver than he ever gave him credit for.

Lupin stared Snape straight in the eye as he approached him.

"What's it to be today, Severus?" he asked, his voice cracking as the words tore at his dry throat. Starvation had been one of the techniques employed in the attempt to force Remus to give out Harry's location.

"Cruciatis? Sectumsempra? Or something new? I am getting bored with the same old thing over and over again." Severus felt the corner of his mouth twitch. Lupin's spirit was still strong, despite everything. Good. He would need all the strength he could muster to get himself out of this.

"I thought we might start with the Cruciatis curse today." Severus raised his wand, pointing at Lupin's chest.

"You disappoint me, Severus,' replied Remus, shaking his head slowly. "Not very original."

Snape raised his eyebrow. "Perhaps not, but quite effective nevertheless."

A streak of red light flew from the end of his wand, hitting the other man directly, sending him flying backwards to hit the wall. He let out a strangled scream as his body twisted and turned in agony. Severus held the curse as he kicked the door shut behind him. When he was sure the others above them had heard enough, he raised his wand.

Remus lay face down, panting. He felt Snape approach him and as he bent next to him, he turned his head.

"You're getting out - tonight if all goes to plan,' the dark haired man whispered.

"What? How?" questioned Remus, not wanting to believe Snape; to get his hopes up. "You don't need to know the details, but there is something you must do to help yourself. I may have to Imperiorise you: and I need your promise. Do not fight this, no matter what I make you do or say."

Remus shook his head, gasping "What are you going to do?"

Snape became frustrated. "There are many people putting themselves in danger to rescue you, including Krystal and myself. I must have your word - do not fight the curse."

Still breathing hard, Remus looked up at his childhood enemy. "You're asking me to trust you?" he said.

"You don't really have much choice, do you?" Snape retorted, his voice betraying his impatience.

He stood, looking down at the man on the ground. "Do I have your word?"

Remus pushed himself up onto his knees, then, leaning against the wall, he struggled to his feet. "You have my word. I will let you take over my mind. I will not fight the curse.'

Severus nodded. "Good." He aimed another curse at Lupin, sending him back to the floor, groaning in pain.

After a few moments, he raised his wand again, spun on his heel to leave the room.

'Severus,' he called weakly. Snape turned to look at the man on the floor.

'Tell her to stay away. Don't let her risk…' His voice broke, and Severus realised just how much Lupin loved her and felt a jolt of envy that the werewolf and Krystal had the very thing he wanted so badly, but could never have.

'Surely you must know by now that no one tells her what to do, Lupin,' he replied softly. 'But I will try.'

* * *

Krystal was waiting for him at his Spinner's End home, pacing nervously when he walked through the living room door. She stopped when she saw him and quickly moved to his side.

"How is he? Is he…" she asked, her eyes desperate for news. It had now been over a month since Remus was taken, and Severus saw Krystal was showing signs of the strain. Severus grabbed her shoulders, shaken by the wild look on her face.

"He's fine. He's weak, he's injured, but his spirit is strong."

She let out a breath, her face relaxing a little. "And he'll do it? He'll let you put the curse on him?" Severus led her to the couch and gently pushed her into the seat.

"He gave me his word,' he replied, sitting next to her and looking at her carefully.

His concern for her had grown over the past few weeks: she had lost weight, the dark circles around her eyes told him she was not sleeping and her behaviour was becoming more erratic; similar to that during her darkest periods. He agreed with Lupin: Krystal should not attend the raid tonight. If something were to go wrong, he didn't think her mind could stand it.

'He doesn't want you there tonight, Krystal,' he said, with little hope she would listen to him. 'He asked me to tell you to stay away.'

She stared at him for a moment, then stood.

"Tonks and Kingsley have set up a fake raid,' she said, ignoring his words. "I spoke to her and they are going to 'accidentally' let Yaxley know about the raid at 6.00pm tonight, telling him that they'll be at Malfoy's at 6.30pm. You'll have half an hour to get Remus out, and we have to ambush them before they think the Auror's will arrive."

Severus stood and began to pace as she had done earlier. "I'm hoping they will take Lupin to the safe house, but he has proven himself reluctant to give out information, despite our best efforts." Krystal felt a shiver of pride in her fiancé before Severus continued.

"They may just decide to get rid of him. If they do plan to kill Lupin, I will Imperiorise him and plant the information about your fake death. Then I will convince them to take him with us; that the Dark Lord will want to hear the information himself; that you will certainly be willing to swap yourself for Lupin."

He looked at her exhausted face, lines of worry etched across it. "There isn't much you can't get a woman in love to do,' he said softly.

Severus looked pale. This plan was very risky for both of them. There were too many chances for his role in the war to be revealed; he wasn't ready for that yet.

"We can't disapparated from inside the Manor; we have to be outside the grounds to leave for the safe house,' he ran through the plan again, hoping it sounded less dangerous this time. "You have only one chance to snatch Lupin, and that is as we are leaving Malfoy Manor. If I don't have to reveal myself, I won't, but if you are waiting at the safe house for us, they will know they have a traitor."

Krystal stood, looking at him through narrowed eyes.

"And if we fail? Will you ensure that Remus is let go in exchange for me? They could just kill him once they have me."

Severus looked at her, his eyes blazing as his control over his emotions finally snapped. "You are asking me to risk my life for a man who sat by as his friends made my life a living hell! You ask too much, Krystal!"

He turned and strode across the room to stare into the fireplace, his chest heaving as he tried to control his anger and his fear.

Krystal approached him slowly. She reached out and touched him on the back. When he didn't respond, she moved close to him, leaning against his back, her head resting against his shoulder blade as her arms snaked around him to lay on his chest.

"You are one of the bravest, most honourable men I know. Any debt you owed me was paid a long time ago, yet you still help me."

She took a deep shuddering breath, feeling it echoed in his chest. "I know what I'm asking, Sev. I know what you're risking. But I need you. I can't do this without you."

* * *

They stayed like that as time passed, drawing strength from each other. Finally, Severus turned and looked down at Krystal, who dropped her arms to look into his black eyes.

"You saved my life. You stood between me and my father and fought for me when I couldn't fight for myself, despite the fact that he was bigger and stronger than you. He would've killed the both of us if the Muggle police hadn't arrived. You didn't tell anyone about that day. You didn't tell anyone how I felt about Lily. You stood up against your friends; against Lupin, to support me and you kept my secrets."

He took her face in his hands and stared into her blue eyes, now shimmering with tears. "For you, Krystal, I will do this.But, please, I'm concerned for you. Reconsider attending the ambush tonight.'

She pulled away from him. 'He told me when I came back, that he was going to fight for me,' she said, a tear falling from her eye. 'What kind of person would I be if I didn't do the same for him? I won't run and hide, Severus.'

After a few moments, Krystal moved away. "Where will you go? If you are exposed?"

Severus' jaw clenched. "I have prepared for this contingency. I have somewhere to wait until Potter is ready. Then I have to go to him and give him the final information. The only way he can defeat the Dark Lord."

He glanced at her. "He will not believe me; I'll need your help to convince him. So don't get yourself killed tonight."

Krystal nodded. "Then we're ready to do this?" He looked back at her, his face reflecting her determination.

"We're ready."


	48. Chapter 46

**Thanks for the reviews guys! I love hearing from you. More, please. I'm becoming a bit of a review slut!**

Chapter Forty Six

That evening, Severus sat next to Lucius Malfoy at the large, ornate dining room table. His glowering demeanour belying the nerves that fluttered in his gut.

"I hardly think that is necessary, Bellatrix,' he said, disdainfully. 'Wouldn't it defeat the purpose of having taken him in the first place?"

His instinct had been correct. Yaxley had just bought news of the impending Auror raid and Lord Voldemort's' most trusted servants were heatedly debating the benefits of keeping Lupin alive.

"He has not given Potter up,' screeched Bellatrix, her eyes glowing at the thought of a fresh kill. "He has been here weeks and not one piece of useful information has escaped him. He will slow us down; I say kill him now."

Severus stood. "And I say that, although we have broken his body, it is Lupin's mind that we need to shatter. I am close. I believe I will need only a day or two more and we will have all the information we need."

Lucius stood up as well. "This will all be moot if we do not leave here in the next few minutes. The Auror's are on their way. I do not care what you do with the half breed, but if he can still be of use….." He shrugged and turned away from the table to ensure his belongings had been packed and his wife and son were ready to depart.

Severus looked at Bella and saw the anger in her face. She was livid at Severus and Lucius.

"Fine. But if he gives you nothing useful in the next 48 hours, he is mine." She grimaced nastily and Severus shuddered at the thought of the fate awaiting Lupin if he did not escape tonight.

"Perhaps it will be that very thought that loosens Lupin's tongue, Bellatrix,' he said, not bothering to hide his disgust. "I'll share the good news with him."

As he walked down to the cellar, Severus breathed a small sigh of relief. He wasn't going to have to use the Imperious curse on Lupin. Despite the man giving him his word, he knew that Lupin would have struggled against the influence of the spell once he realised he would be giving Krystal away.

He tapped his wand on the heavy wooden door, hearing the lock click. Lupin was shackled to the opposite wall, his legs shaking badly as he leaned heavily against the stone wall. Severus frowned. The man looked weaker than he had this morning: the shackles the only thing holding him upright.

A quick look up the stairs told Severus that they were alone, and he hastily moved across the room to the other man.

"What happened to you?" he asked as Lupin swayed.

"Bellatrix paid me a visit,' he mumbled, his eyes closing as his voice reverberated in his head, making it spin.

'Damn that woman,' thought Snape, annoyed at Bellatrix. Lupin was barely conscious. He pointed his wand at him and muttered, "Enervate." The spell roused the other man a little, and Severus tried it again.

It worked: the werewolf was now more aware and pushed off the wall to stand on his own. He looked at Snape as if he hadn't realised he was there.

"Is it time?" he asked, their earlier conversation coming back to him.

Snape nodded, saying, "I don't think I'll need to curse you. But be ready for apparition. The second we step outside the gate, they will attack."

Lupin nodded and asked, 'Krystal? Severus…'

'She is determined to fight for you,' he answered, seeing the worry that settled in Lupin's eyes with his words. 'I tried, but she is an uncommonly stubborn woman.'

Remus tried to smile. 'Yes, she is,' he agreed softly.

"I need to bind your arms,' said Snape, tapping the iron shackles with his wand, grabbing Lupin by the arm as the werewolf's legs threatened to crumple. Lupin shook him off, standing unsteadily as he held out his hands. Severus waved his wand and Lupin felt tight ropes dig into his flesh, pinning his arms behind his back. Severus took his arm and tried to guide him out of the room, but Remus stopped him.

He looked at the Death Eater. "I'm sorry I didn't try harder to stop them. James and Sirius..,' he said, seeing the frown on Snape's face.

"I'm sorry I helped them. I should have listened to Krystal: you are a more honourable man that I ever could have believed."

Lupin was sincere, and Severus could see it had hurt the man to take his side over his friends, even now that they were gone.

"Let's save the recriminations until we're out of here, Lupin,' he said, pulling the man out of the room and up the stairs.

* * *

Yaxley was waiting in the foyer of the eerily quiet mansion, with Yates and Donner. "About time!' he snarled as he saw Severus dragging Lupin. "We're the last to leave. They'll be here any minute. Come on!"

He pushed open the front doors and the four Death Eaters strode quickly, wands out, down to the steel gate that guarded the manor; Lupin half walking, half dragged between Snape and Yates with Donner bringing up the rear. Yaxley paused only for a moment before walking straight through the gates as if they weren't even there. Once on the other side, he tapped the lock with his wand, watching the gate creak and groan as it opened slowly.

The remaining three men walked through the gates, looking warily around. Severus saw a white spark in the air in front of them, and surreptitiously angled his wand towards the ground, silently casting a Stinging Hex. Yates suddenly bent down and clutched at his ankle, letting go of Lupin's arm

"Something bit me!' he exclaimed loudly. Donner stepped forward to help as several cracks broke the silence and flashes of bright white light penetrated the dark.

Yaxley yelled and sent jets of red light at the figures that appeared in front of them, his spells bouncing off the shield charms that were quickly cast in front of the Order members. Severus knocked Lupin to the ground as streams of light were shot at the Death Eaters, who raised their wands to fight back. Donner turned to Lupin who was laying on the gravel and made a move to grab him, only to see the werewolf disappear before his eyes.

* * *

Krystal, seeing Remus disappear under Harry's Invisibility Cloak with Charlie Weasley, breathed a sigh of relief. She and Bill had been joined by Tonks and Kingsley, both of the Auror's jobless after their set up at the Ministry, and on the run. Together, they duelled the Death Eaters, the fight even until Donner got a hex through Tonks' defence.

She let out a shrill cry and hit the ground hard. Krystal heard the young woman screaming in pain. She felt anger rise in her chest and, pointing her wand, she sent a Stunner at Donner, who wasn't quick enough to deflect it, flying backwards and hitting the ground hard. She summoned all her strength and stepped in front of the others, dropping the wand she'd been using so as not to draw attention to herself.

"Get Tonks and go,' she screamed, spreading her arms wide and casting an enormous shield spell that would cover them all for a few seconds. "NOW! HURRY!"

She saw Bill and Kingsley grab the young woman.

Bill yelled at her, "Come on, Krys!" as he spun on the spot and disapparated, leaving her alone with the Death Eaters.

They shot hex after hex at her, beating her shield down until it began to fade. Krystal had been waiting for this. Before her shield disappeared, she shot a quick Stunner at Severus, who, as planned, did not attempt to block the spell. He went down hard, and did not move.

The other Death Eaters were distracted by Snape's fall and, seeing their small moment of distraction, Krystal quickly cast another shield then sent a killing curse at Yates, watching as the stream of green light hit him in the shoulder.

Yaxley reciprocated, screaming "Avada Kedavra" as he pointed his wand at her. Krystal threw herself to the ground, rolled onto her back and, lifting her hands, shouted "Bombardium" at the Death Eater. His feet left the ground with the force of the spell, and he seemed to float there for a moment, before his body exploded, leaving nothing but gore in it's place.

Krystal, flecked in Yaxley's blood, lay panting on the ground for a second, before scrambling to her feet to check Severus. His heart rate was strong and breathing good, although he had opened up his scalp on the gravel under him. She checked his injury; it was superficial.

"Thank you, my friend,' she whispered quickly, before standing and checking the others.

Yaxley was obviously dead: her feet slipped in the proof as she made her way over to Donner and Yates, feeling her stomach turn over in disgust. She was sickened both with what remained of the man and with herself, for resorting to Death Eater methods. Yates was also dead: the killing curse had done it's job, but Donner was only stunned.

Krystal thought for a moment, then Obliviated both Donner and Severus. She didn't really care anymore if her identity was discovered, but she wanted Severus to have all the time she could give him to get his job done. If they were both Obliviated, it would look less suspicious; less like there was a traitor. Hopefully, You Know Who would assume one of his Ministry spies was the leak. She moved away from the injured men, taking one more look at Severus before disapparating out of there.

* * *

Krystal reappeared, her feet slipping a little in the blood that covered her shoes. She heard talking from upstairs, and took them two at a time. They had decided to meet in the Shrieking Shack, staying just for a short time, before they moved on. She burst into a room to her left, coming to a halt as a Stunner was sent at her.

She raised a shield quickly, yelling out "Hey, it's me!' as she spun to avoid the spell.

As the white light disappeared, she saw someone moving towards her fast. Before Remus could reach her though, Kingsley grasped his arm, stopping him.

The man raised his wand, pointing it at her. 'Prove your identity,' he demanded, in his deep voice. 'Ask her something, Remus.'

'What did I ask you the night before I was taken?' Remus said, his voice cracking.

Krystal smiled, her eyes filling with tears. 'You asked me to marry you,' she said.

Remus tore himself out of Kingsley's grasp and threw an arm around her, pulling her tight to him.

"You're alright, You're really alright,' she whispered, as tears of relief ran down her face. She hugged him hard, running her hands over his back and neck, hardly daring to believe it was really him.

Remus kissed her head, saying hoarsely, "When they came back without you, I thought….."

His voice trailed off as he pulled back and looked closely at her.

"You're hurt!' he exclaimed. She shook her head, smiling at him.

"It's not my blood, I'm fine." Remus smiled back at her and pulled her head towards him with one hand, kissing her hard.

"I was so scared, Remus. I love you,' she said softly between kisses.

"I love you too,' he breathed as he hugged her to him again, burying his face in her neck.

"Sorry guys, but Krystal, we need to get out of here. Tonks needs more help than I can give her here."

Bill's voice broke into their reunion and the lovers turned to see Bill, Charlie and Kingsley kneeling next to a pale and shaking Tonks. Krystal broke out of Remus' grasp and moved to kneel next to Bill.

"What hit her?' she asked, taking in Tonks' shallow breathing.

"I'm not sure,' said Bill. "I'm going to take her to a healer I know. He won't give us away…..I trust him."

Remus stood beside Krystal, a hand on her shoulder. "We'll come with you,' he said. "I think I may need to get a few things looked at as well."

For the first time, Krystal noticed his already lined face looked grey and ill; his torn and bloodstained clothes; and how thin he'd become.

Kingsley and Charlie took their leave, and disapparated out of the shack; Charlie headed off to return the Invisibility Cloak to Harry, who had been waiting nervously for news at The Burrow for the last hour, his appearance having been altered with Polyjuice Potion to look like one of the Weasley twins. Bill and Krystal each slung an arm around Tonks, supporting her, and, as Remus grabbed Krystal's hand, Bill disapparated them to his friends house.

* * *

An hour later, Tonks was laying on clean sheets, still pale, but breathing normally. Krystal sat on the bottom of the bed, watching the younger woman as she slept. Bill had sent a Patronus to Fleur and his parents to let her know they were all fine, while his healer friend, Matt, was patching up Remus' many broken bones and bruises.

Tonks was still sleeping when Krystal suddenly began to shake. Now that the relief was hitting her, and the adrenaline fading, she felt sick. She stood quickly and moved to the bathroom, where she only just made it to the toilet before throwing up.

Once she'd emptied her stomach, she lay on the cool tiles, letting her shaking subside before she tried to stand. She crawled to the sink and used the cabinet to pull herself up, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Krystal stared horrified at the blood splattered face and clothes. A flash of an old dream came to her: bright red blood all over her hands.

Her breath came quicker as she turned the tap on and splashed handfuls of water over her face, scrubbing hard at her skin. Screaming was filling her ears and she clasped her hands to them to try and drown it out, but it only got louder.

'Gotta get the blood off,' she muttered, breathing fast as she pulled at her stained clothes. Unable to get them off fast enough, she gave up and got into the shower fully clothed, turning the taps on hard, watching the blood and water run down the drain.

Krystal didn't know how long she'd stood shivering under the cold, stinging water before Remus came into the bathroom. He fiddled with the taps, the water warming before he undressed her. She felt his naked body against hers as he ran a bar of soap over her, washing away the physical evidence of the night. The soap made their bodies slip against each other as Remus held her close under the rushing water until she was breathing easily and back in control. She looked up at him, and he leant down, kissing her gently.

* * *

Remus had towels and spare clothes for both of them, supplied by Matt. Hand in hand they left the bathroom, stopping to check on Tonks. As Krystal checked the woman's breathing to ensure it was still even, Remus sat on the chair next to the bed.

"Is she going to be alright?"

Krystal nodded, sitting back at the bottom of the bed. "She organised the whole rescue from the Ministry's end. I couldn't have done it without her help." She looked at Remus. "She still cares for you."

Remus smiled. "I care about her too,' he said, reaching out for Krystal's hand. "But I love you."

Krystal opened her mouth to respond, but a groan from Tonks grabbed their attention. Krystal left the room to tell Matt that his patient was waking up, while Remus moved his chair closer to the bed, slipping his hand over his former fiancee's. Her eyes fluttered open and she focused on Remus' face.

"Hi,' he said quietly.

"You're alright?" she said, her voice croaky.

He nodded and she smiled. "Good. I'm glad."

Remus squeezed her hand. "Krystal told me how much you did to help me. Thank you."

Tonks waved her free hand, "It was nothing - would have done it for anyone." Remus smiled as she continued. "It was Krystal who was taking the real risk. You know she was going to offer a swap if this didn't work; if they wanted to kill you - herself in exchange for you?"

Remus frowned and shook his head. No one had told him that.

"Well, she doesn't have to now. There was no force on earth that could have kept her at home tonight though. We all tried to tell her that she'd be seen, but she wanted to fight for you." Remus felt his heart swell with love for Krystal. Again, she'd risked her own life to give him a chance.

Tonks kept her eyes on his face as she spoke. "She loves you very much,' she said softly.

Remus nodded and replied, "I love her very much also. I'm sorry about everything, Tonks. I never meant to hurt you."

She made a shooshing noise. "Its ok. I guess in my heart I knew I was pushing you into marriage. I had to propose to you, for Merlin's sake!" She smiled for a second, before her face turned serious.

"I never saw you look as happy as that day you told me you were going to ask her to marry you. I could never have made you look like that. I'm glad that you and Krystal found each other again."

Remus leant over the bed and kissed Tonks quickly on the lips. "Thank you."

"Excuse me,' a male voice interrupted from the doorway.

Remus turned to see Matt and Krystal standing there. Matt moved to Tonks' side as Remus stood, looking at Krystal, who smiled at him.

"Matt has offered us one of his spare rooms for the night,' she said, holding out her hand. "I don't know about you, but I need to sleep - for a very long time." He smiled and took her hand.

They turned to say goodnight to Tonks, who was being checked over by Matt. Remus noticed as he left the room that Matt took Tonks hand in his own, smiling down at her. He followed Krystal into a small, tidy room with a single bed. They didn't even undress: falling onto the bed and, after arranging themselves on the small mattress, letting sleep take them.


	49. Chapter 47

**Still 6 or so chappies left - it wouldn't be fan fiction if everything went smoothly, would it?**

**WARNING: Don't want to scare you off but here we go: ATTEMPTED RAPE, MENTIONS OF TORTURE AND RAPE. If that upsets you, I don't blame you, but it's not graphic.**

* * *

Chapter Forty Seven

Mid morning the next day, there was a thump and a cry of pain as Krystal hit the bedroom floor. Half asleep, she sat up, holding the back of her head which she'd hit on the bedside table; seeing blood when she removed her hand. She looked up at the bed and saw Remus' flailing limbs. Krystal struggled to her feet, fully awake now and sat on the bed.

She was hit across the face with his hand, but it was only a glancing blow. She tried to shake him awake, but was hit again with his fist, and this time, tasted blood. Realising she was only going to take more hits like this, she immobilised him quickly, then shook him.

"Wake up. Remus, you're safe." She took the spell off and his eyes opened, as he tried to sit up with a gasp.

Krystal helped him up, telling him, "You were having a nightmare. I had to Immobilise you to wake you." Remus was panting; Krystal could feel his heart racing as she held his shoulders.

"Are you alright? What can I do?" She felt so helpless.

"Nothing - just give me a minute,' he said, breathless as he fell back against the pillows, looking at the ceiling. He clutched her hand, holding it tight. She watched him try and catch his breath, her head throbbing as she felt blood slowly making its way down the back of her neck.

After a minute, Remus looked at Krystal. "God, did I do that?' he asked, sitting up quickly at the sight of her bleeding mouth.

"It's fine,' she said. "You were asleep, I got in your way." She put a hand to her scalp. "Although, I think I'd better get Matt to heal this pretty quickly. It's going to get everywhere."

She took her hand away and Remus was appalled to see her bloody hand. "It's fine, Remus, I fell out of bed. It looks worse than it is. I'll get Matt to fix it in a minute."

She looked at him. "Are you alright? What were you dreaming about?' she asked, pretty sure she already knew the answer.

"Another woman,' he said with a small ironic laugh. "Don't worry, its not someone I want to ever see again - Bellatrix,' he said grimly, seeing her confused face. "She enjoyed spending a lot of time with me at Malfoy's.'

Krystal was about to respond when there was a knock on the door and a voice called out, "Are you two ok in there?"

* * *

A little while later, Remus and Matt were sitting at Matt's kitchen table. Krystal was in the shower, washing the blood out of her hair after getting her head wound closed in a second by the healer. Remus was pushing around some cereal in a bowl when Matt spoke.

"I can give you some potions if you like. To stop the nightmares,' Matt clarified when Remus looked up.

"No. Thank you, though. I'll get through it,' Remus said, gratefully. Matt looked at him, hesitating as if he was choosing his words carefully.

"Remus, I saw your injuries; I know how they must have happened; what they must have done to you. You should tell her."

Remus gritted his teeth, his face stony. "No. I don't want her to know,' he said, his voice low but firm.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, Remus and it helps to talk about it,' said Matt, helping himself to another piece of toast. "You've got a pretty devoted girlfriend there from all accounts: she'll understand and support you." Remus shook his head again.

"Well, it's your decision, but these things have a way of coming to the surface eventually,' Matt warned.

"I'll take my chances,' said Remus, finality in his voice.

He'd noticed Krystal's gaunt face; how her once fitting jeans now hung off her frame. Last night in the shower, he'd been shocked to see how thin she was; the curves he loved had almost disappeared, and he was concerned about her pale face; her hollow eyes that were ringed in black. He'd asked Bill about it, and had been disturbed by his response. Krystal's mind, although healed, had been forever damaged by the trauma it had suffered eighteen years ago and, after hearing about the stress she'd been under after he disappeared, he couldn't bring himself to add anymore strain to her face.

Matt sighed but dropped it. "You know, I wish I had a hot girlfriend who would take on Death Eaters for me,' he said lightly, taking another bite of toast. "Does she have a sister?"

Remus smiled. "She's my fiancée actually,' he said, his smile grower wider as he remembered the circumstances of his proposal.

"Hey, congratulations!' exclaimed Matt, through a mouthful of toast. He swallowed quickly. "I must admit, I was a little confused last night about who was with who. When I saw you kiss Tonks,….."

"Tonks is my ex fiancée,' explained Remus. "Long story,' he added, seeing Matt's confused expression.

"So, is Tonks with anyone now?" Matt's words were casual, but Remus heard the interest in his voice.

"You'll have to ask her about that. I'm not really sure,' Remus said with a smile.

"Ask who about what?" asked Krystal as she came in the room, her hair still damp from her shower.

"Nothing. How are you?' Remus asked, still feeling guilty that he'd unconsciously inflicted so much damage on her.

"I'm fine, just like the last time you asked,' she answered as she kissed the top of his head. "What's for breakfast? All of a sudden I'm starving!"

They ate and an hour later, she and Remus were saying goodbye to Tonks, who had decided to accept Matt's invitation to recuperate at his house; and, with a warning for Remus to rest from Matt, they disapparated to Grimmauld Place.

* * *

It felt strange staying in the house without Sirius or Harry. Remus spent the next few days resting; Krystal hovering nervously, concerned about the nightmares he was having. He still wouldn't talk about them with her; making jokes when she broached the subject. It was getting close to the full moon and, although physically he had healed, she didn't want to have to leave him so emotionally vulnerable.

"If you take the Wolfsbane Potion, I could stay in the house with you.' She was sitting up in bed as she repeated the argument they had been having all day. "I'd be in no danger."

Remus shook his head as he got ready to join her in bed. "I'm not prepared to take the chance. Krystal, I've been dealing with the transformations for years, I'll be fine. What I really need,' he said as he threw his pants on a chair, 'is for you to stop treating me with kid gloves."

He suddenly dived onto the bed and landed, naked, on top of her, making her giggle. "What do you think you are doing?' she asked as his lips attached themselves to her neck, sucking her skin into his mouth greedily.

"If you don't know, I'm doing a really bad job of it,' he mumbled against her skin as he pushed aside the neck of her t shirt. She moaned a little as he touched his tongue to her skin, burning a trail from her shoulder to her throat.

"Matt said….' she began, but he covered her lips with his and kissed the words from her mouth. Krystal fell back against the pillows as Remus kissed her long and hard.

"What were you saying?" he said eventually, lifting his head to kiss his way down her throat.

"Umm…..can't remember…" she stuttered, distracted by his hand which was creeping under the long t shirt she wore to bed. He laughed as he grasped the hem of her shirt and pulled it roughly over her head and threw it across the room.

"No more talking now,' he ordered, his voice husky with need as his head sank to her breast.

Krystal let out a short sharp breath, running her fingers through his hair, as his mouth teased her breasts. She felt him reach up under her hips to pull her underwear off. They joined her shirt over the other side of the room, as he grabbed her hips and pulled her down the bed so he was between her legs. She moaned as he leaned over to kiss her and she felt him press against her. She pushed her hips up against him, giving him permission to do what they both wanted him to. Breathing heavily, he put her legs over his shoulders and entered her swiftly, making her cry out.

"Too rough?' he asked, his voice strained as he struggled to hold himself still inside her.

"No! Don't stop!' she said, her voice desperate. He grinned then moved inside her, teasing her by thrusting slowly until she started pushing against him, wanting more.

"Remus!' she said, her tone warning him that she was reaching the end of her tolerance. At the sound of her voice calling his name, he lost control, moving fast and hard until he felt her body arch off the bed and she tightened around him. He cried out her name as he felt his world explode.

Remus collapsed on top of her and they lay together, breathless. Remus moved first, lifting his head to look at Krystal.

"Did I already ask you to marry me?" She laughed softly and nodded, then groaned in protest as he rolled off to the side.

"Good.' he said, and he reached over to drag her on top of him. "We should do it - soon. I want everyone to know that you're mine."

He pulled her head down to his and kissed her, biting her lip as if to mark her.

Krystal was surprised to find herself becoming aroused by his possessiveness, and was even more surprised to feel how aroused Remus was again. She wriggled on him and felt his groan in his chest. She grinned cheekily as she pressed herself against him, and then let out of cry of surprise as he flipped her onto her back so he was now on top of her again. She laughed as his insatiable tongue and lips made their way down her body.

"You know,' she said, gasping a little as she felt his teeth scrape her inner thigh. "This time of the month does have certain perks."

She felt his laugh against her skin, then she was lost as his mouth did incredible things to her.

* * *

Krystal and Remus spent several weeks at Grimmauld Place. Krystal used her Trace to track Harry, Ron and Hermione. She visited them once, discovering they had three Horcruxes to find and destroy. They were going to have to go to Hogwarts in order to find one of them, and the other was Voldemort's snake. They were going to tackle the third Horcrux first, and Krystal urged them to let her know when they were ready to enter their old school so that she could help them. Many Death Eaters were stationed at Hogwarts now, including Severus.

She had heard briefly from Severus a week after the ambush. He had been punished by Lord Voldemort for allowing Remus to escape but, thankfully, the Dark Lord held Yaxley responsible for the fiasco. Severus also shared the news that the Dark Lord had been triumphant in his mission to obtain a new wand, one which was reported to be unbeatable.

This news concerned the Order, who were becoming more and more isolated as they tried to protect their families from the attacks now occurring daily. It seemed that the loss of Remus had doubled the Death Eater's determination to find Harry, and they were now openly attacking anyone thought to be an Order allay, not to mention the continuing callous murders of half breeds and Muggle borns.

Remus was still having nightmares; still refusing to discuss them with Krystal. His time with the Death Eaters had changed him: he'd become secretive; withdrawn. He often woke her at night, crying out or thrashing around. On more than one night, she sat in a chair next to the bed, watching him writhe and groan. He had started drinking most evenings, as well; staying by himself in the sitting room.

She was unable to offer any comfort he would accept, apart from her body, which he used to distract himself from his pain. Krystal never turned him away, knowing sex was the only release he had; the only consolation she could offer, but there was no love in their actions. Need and lust, yes. But no tenderness or softness.

After their last encounter, Krystal had gone to the bathroom and was shocked by the bite marks and scratches all over her. She understood that night that he was taking out his feelings of impotency on her, and, for a long time, she lay naked on the bathroom floor, sobbing. She knew she had to confront Remus, to finally make him face his demons, but she was terrified to actually do it - knowing it could tear them further apart.

* * *

Fate intervened quickly though. Krystal had showered and retreated to bed early one night, leaving Remus, as usual, in the sitting room, with a bottle of Firewhiskey. She tossed and turned for an hour before drifting off into a troubled sleep. When she awoke, it was dark and there was a heavy weight on her, crushing her. Krystal realised it was Remus, stinking of Firewhiskey and trying clumsily to undress her.

She felt a wave of anger suddenly rush through her. She pushed at him, saying, "Don't, Remus,' but he ignored her, continuing to fumble with her clothes, ripping her underwear. Krystal felt a bite of fear at the sound of tearing fabric. She pushed at him harder, saying loudly, "Remus, no!"

He kissed her chest, "C'mon Krys,' he mumbled, slurring his words a little. She felt him fumbling with his fly and her mind froze.

She reacted out of sheer instinct; casting a charm that sent him flying off her and across the room. Struggling out of the twisted bedclothes, she stumbled across the room, trying in the dark to find the doorway. She managed to turn the knob before she heard what sounded almost like a snarl, and felt his hands grab at her, finding her wrists and holding tight. She yelled out, "No!,' as he pulled her onto the floor.

"Yes. You belong to me,' he hissed into her ear, as he forced a knee between her kicking legs.

She could see his face in the sliver of light from the open door, and was frightened to see the anger and hatred there.

She was begging him now, tears of desperation rolling into her hair, "Please, Remus, no. Not like this. Please."

Her words fell on deaf ears and, as he held her hands above her head and tore the remains of her underwear off. Breathing heavily, Krystal madly tried to think of something that would get through to him; something that would stop this without her having to hurt him.

Suddenly, the answer was clear. He needed to dominate; to be in control; to fight back. Taking a deep breath, Krystal let herself go limp. She stopped pleading with him, stopped kicking him, stopped fighting him.

Remus was trying to undo his flies one handed when he felt her body relax against his. She stopped talking and stopped kicking at him. Confused, he looked up at her through slightly unfocused eyes, seeing her face in the light for the first time; her eyes wide and scared, her face wet with tears. Krystal looked back at him and forced words past the constriction in her throat.

"If this is what you really want, I won't fight you, Remus,' she whispered, her heart feeling as if it would jump out of her chest. He frowned and his face lost some of the feral mask that she had seen upon it.

Her lips shook as she tried again, saying, "I am yours, Remus. I love you. I'll do anything you want."

His eyes seemed to focus now. Krystal felt his grip on her hands loosen; his face slowly changing as he realised what he was doing.

His face now pale with shock and his eyes almost as frightened as hers, Remus let go of her wrists. He pushed himself off her, landing on his backside and, with his hands, quickly dragged himself towards the other side of the room. Krystal lay still for a second and then quickly scrambled to her feet, turning and running through the open bedroom door.

She ran down the hall and into the bathroom, her trembling hands scrambling frantically as she tried to lock the door. Finally she heard the click, and backed up, her eyes on the door until her back hit the wall on the other side of the room. Krystal lost the strength in her legs, sliding down the wall to curl into a ball on the floor.

Nausea hit soon after, and Krystal lost track of time, kneeling in front of the toilet, her shaking body heaving. When she had nothing left in her body to expel, she stood, her legs threatening to collapse under her. She rinsed her mouth out, splashing cold water over her pale face. Then, as she straightened, she heard the scream.

* * *

Suddenly sober, Remus had watched Krystal run from the room. He was breathing heavily, feeling as if he had woken from a nightmare. But this was no nocturnal illusion, he had really just tried to force himself on Krystal. His face crumpled and he pulled at his hair as he struggled to comprehend what he had just done.

He had known he was in a bad place, but never in his wildest dreams had he thought he was capable of hurting another person so badly, not when he was human form. And for him to have turned on Krystal….

His eyes filled as he remembered the raw terror in her face as she'd looked at him. It was the same look she'd had in her eyes after Malfoy attacked her at school in their Fourth Year. He'd never wanted to see that look on her face again, and the fact that he'd caused it…….

Remus stood abruptly, pacing like a caged animal as his mind raced.

He stopped suddenly in front of a large wardrobe, seeing his reflection in the mirror. He looked wild: his eyes filled with pain and anger, his face pale and hair standing up in clumps. A feeling of self loathing rose in him, hot like lava. He let out a scream, primal and full of anguish as he slammed his fists over and over into the glass, shattering it until he could no longer see his image.

* * *

When Krystal hesitantly approached the bedroom door, she heard a sound like an injured animal. She felt tears sting her eyes as she looked into the bedroom and saw Remus curled up in the corner, rocking back and forth. Krystal's chest tightened when she saw how much pain he was in. She moved slowly towards him, stopping only a few metres away when he looked up and saw her.

He held out his hands and turned his head away, saying harshly, "Don't. Don't come near me."

Her heart ached when she saw the agonised expression on his face.

Slowly, she sank to the floor, sitting with her legs under her as she listened to his ragged breathing and moans of pain. As his hands moved back to his lap, she saw the blood and glass on them.

"You're hurt,' she said, her voice hoarse. Remus shook his head.

"Please go away,' he begged in a whisper as he put his head in his hands. "I don't want to hurt you again." Krystal's fear began to dissipate in the face of his anxiety. She moved slowly, crawling towards him.

"You won't hurt me,' she said softly, knowing it was true. Shaking his head again, Remus tried to force himself further into the corner, his breathing becoming even more laboured as she got closer.

Once she was close enough to touch him, she stopped, unsure about how to proceed. Despite what had happened, she ached more for him than herself. He was hurting so much, and she didn't know how to help him.

"Tell me what to do,' she whispered helplessly to him, stretching her hand across the floor to him. "I don't know what to do."

Remus looked at her hand then up at her face. As he looked into her eyes, something in his face seemed to crack, and he began to sob; heartbreaking, soul shattering sobs. Krystal's hesitated only a moment before she did what her instincts told her was right. Reaching out for him, she pulled him towards her and held him as he finally cried.

* * *

Remus told Krystal everything that night. She held him in her arms as he talked, feeling more and more sickened at the cruelty he had suffered at the hands of the Death Eaters. He had been tortured, both with magic and by other, more hands on, means. Starvation and sensory deprivation had been applied to try and break his mind, and then, when he still didn't give them what they wanted, the real abuse began.

Remus' voice shook and he could barely get the words out as he described the 'party' some of his captors had held, with him as the guest of honour. They hexed him, burnt him with their wands, carving their marks into his skin, before chaining him to the wall. They then stripped and sodomised him; taking turns to abuse his body; to try and break his mind by ensuring he stayed conscious the entire time. Krystal wept with him as they sat on the floor, the first rays of dawn creeping across the bedroom.

Finally, as the sun strengthened, Krystal stood, holding out her hands to help pull a now exhausted Remus to his feet. She led him to the bed, giving him a small smile as he hesitated, his jaw clenching as he recalled the violence that had taken place there only hours earlier.

"Please?" she asked quietly. Remus crawled into the bed, his hand reaching out as Krystal turned to leave the room.

"Krys?' he said, his eyes questioning. She lifted his hand and kissed his wrist, one of the only parts of his hand not injured.

"I'll be back,' she promised, quickly walking to the bathroom and returning minutes later with a bowl of warm water and a washcloth.

Remus' eyes didn't leave her hands as she cleaned his wounds, using his wand to remove the glass and to heal the cuts. She held his hands in hers, bringing them to her mouth and kissing each of them.

"Good as new,' she said softly. Her words caused his lip to quiver, and she saw him struggling to control himself.

Krystal poked him in the leg gently saying, "Move over then."

Remus quickly shifted and watched disbelievingly as she crawled into bed beside him. She lay down and looked at him expectantly, and he slowly lay down next to her. Reaching out, she took his newly healed hand and held it as they lay face to face.

"Snape was right,' Remus whispered as he felt sleep overtaking him. "You are too good for me."


	50. Chapter 48

**Reminder: I'm following an extremely loose timeline based on DH. Mainly because I can't pick the damn thing up to check facts because it pisses me off to look at it.**

**Be tolerant when reading please.**

* * *

Chapter Forty eight

When Krystal finally opened her eyes that afternoon, she saw Remus staring at her, his dark blue eyes troubled. "Hi,' he whispered.

"Hi,' she echoed, giving him a small smile. He kept his gaze on her, frowning a little. "Are you alright?' she asked, concern in her voice. He nodded.

"I don't know what to say to you,' he said, his voice uncertain and cracked. "Krys…I am so sorry. What I've done to you since I've returned is unforgivable. I've hurt you badly and I can never take that back."

"Remus…..' Krystal tried to interrupt him, but he shook his head.

"All I can say is that I love you. I love you with all my heart and, if you would consider giving me another chance, I swear I will never give you any reason to fear me again."

Krystal saw the sincerity in his eyes and knew that he was sorry. Even at her most frightened last night, she had known that this man wasn't really Remus. That the same darkness that she had allowed control over her all those years ago had overtaken him, and that, in it's grasp, he did things that even he would never dreamed he was capable of. She appreciated his apology but she already knew how sorry he was; she'd already forgiven him.

Remus lay on his side facing her, watching her with trepidation. He hoped with every fibre of his being that she could somehow forgive him, because he couldn't bring himself to think about a life without her. When she raised her hand, he thought for one second that she was going to strike him, but she touched it gently to his face, running a finger along the scar on his cheek.

"You forgave me for what I did to you. I don't know where you found the strength to do that, let alone ask me to be your wife." Her hand cupped his jaw, her thumb tracing the line of his bottom lip. "I love you, Remus. I can forgive you anything." With her words, she leant forward and kissed him very softly on the lips.

The kiss lingered and, almost involuntarily, he reached for her, stroking up her arm and feeling her shiver. He quickly removed his hand, thinking his touch had been too much. Krystal pulled away, looking at him with understanding in her eyes.

"I want you to touch me,' she whispered.

"Are you sure? After last night…' he began, but she cut him off.

"Forget about last night; make me forget about last night,' she said, touching his chest, feeling his heart pounding.

She smiled when she saw his uncertainty. "I know that wasn't you, Remus." She took his hand and moved it to her breast, feeling him tremble. "Please?" she added, her eyes on his.

It was the beseeching 'please' that moved him, his hands rising to cup her face and draw her to him. Time seemed to stand still as they kissed; kisses that took them both back to their first in that very room so many years ago. Their hands moved slowly, taking the time to relearn each others bodies as the kiss was deepened and clothes were shed. Mouths moved, following the path taken by their hands as the air became thick with cries of pleasure and declarations of love. Breathing quickened as together they climbed to new peaks of pleasure; and they fell together, with each other's names on their lips.

* * *

For a long time afterwards, Remus and Krystal lay quietly, arms and legs entwined, hands floating lightly over each others skin, raising goose bumps and causing the occasional giggle.

Eventually, Krystal mumbled into Remus' neck, saying "I don't really want to move, but I'm going to start gnawing on my own arm if I don't eat soon." Remus chuckled and kissed the side of her head.

"Don't move an inch. I'll go and grab something." Krystal grinned.

"I was hoping you'd say that,' she admitted, stretching as he slid out of bed and pulled on his pants.

"Any requests?,' he asked, leaning back over to kiss her again.

"Anything that can eaten in bed,' she said, her eyes dropping to his chest and stomach. He smiled broadly and hastily moved across the room. "Back in a minute,' he said, hearing her reply as he reached the stairs. "Hurry!"

Remus hastily put together some sandwiches and, on his way back upstairs, grabbed a couple of Butterbeers. He was in the hall when he heard the clicking of the lock on the front door. He quickly put the sandwiches down and reached into his pocket for his wand, feeling only air. Damn! His wand must have fallen out upstairs. He moved back into the kitchen, grabbing a poker from the fireplace.

He hid behind the door, watching through the crack as a black caped figure walked slowly towards his hiding spot. He held the poker high, ready to strike. When the intruder moved into the kitchen, Remus stepped out and swung at him. The man quickly turned and ducked, the poker just brushing his untidy black hair.

"Remus! Stop! It's me, Harry!" Remus stared at the young man.

"Harry?' he said warily. "Prove it." Harry smiled.

"You're half naked, unarmed and your aim is terrible. Are you really in a position to demand proof of identity?' he asked, with a broadening grin.

Remus raised the poker again threateningly.

"Alright, calm down,' Harry said. "Let's see...um…..ok. The morning of Bill Weasley's wedding, I caught you and Krystal making out on the landing at The Burrow. Do you want me to remind you where your hands were? I can tell you - the image has been burned into my retina.'

Remus turned a little pink at the memory. "No, I think that will do." He grinned. "Harry, what are you doing here?" He dropped the poker and moved to hug the young man. Harry's smile had faded a little by the time he pulled away.

"Krystal asked me to come and see her before I continued. It's time. Is she here?" Remus turned from pink to red now as he admitted that Krystal was in bed. Harry laughed and shook his head.

"God, don't you two ever stop?" His cheek earned him a light punch on the arm, as Remus strode past him.

'Eighteen years, Harry,' he said with a grin. 'We've got a lot of catching up to do.'

* * *

"Your timing really sucks, Harry,' Krystal began as she walked into the kitchen five minutes later. He laughed and she smiled at him, pulling him into a hug. "So,' she said, letting him go and jumping up to sit on the counter. "What's up?" Harry sat on a chair and looked up at Krystal.

"You asked me to talk to you before we tried to get into Hogwarts, so here I am." He held his hands out.

Krystal frowned. "You're sure about this? You're sure that's where it is?"

Harry nodded, saying, " I know what it is, I have to get into the castle to find it."

"There are Death Eaters in the castle, Harry…' she began, but he interrupted.

"I know, but there is no choice. I have to get into Hogwarts or I fail. We're still trying to figure out a strategy, but we won't be able to wait too much longer."

Krystal stared at him for a moment, then said, "I'm going with you." Harry shook his head.

"No,' he said firmly. "We have to do this ourselves, you know that. Besides, I get the feeling you're needed more here." Her face, still bearing the signs of an emotional night, had given her away.

She was startled and Harry gave her a faint smile. "Just an instinct - am I right? Is everything ok with you and Remus?"

Krystal nodded. "It'll be fine. We do need to be with each other for a little while though. You're a very insightful child, you know,' she said a little grudgingly.

Harry laughed. "Not usually - I guess I just know you both well." His smile faded.

"Is Remus alright? After……everything." His face was concerned.

Krystal's jaw clenched a little. "I think he will be,' she answered quietly.

Harry stood. "I have to go. Ron and Hermione are waiting for me." Krystal slid down onto the floor, and moved to stand in front of the young man, her hands holding his shoulders.

"You have to promise me something Harry. No, seriously,' she said, her voice urgent, as he opened his mouth. "Promise me that before you confront the Dark Lord that you will contact me. Harry, there is something you need to know before you go to him."

Harry looked startled. "Why can't you tell me now?"

She shook her head impatiently. "I can't. I don't have the answers. But I know who does. You must promise me, Harry. You have to swear, on Ron and Hermione's lives, that you will wait."

Harry felt a little surge of fear at her intensity. "Alright,' he promised. "I swear, I'll contact you."

Krystal's tension seemed to fade a little at his words. "Good. Thank you, Harry,' she whispered, as she hugged him again.

"Look after yourself, and Remus,' he said, his voice cracking a little as he put his arms around her.

When they pulled away from each other, he grinned. "You know, I told him he should make an honest woman of you last time I saw him,' Harry teased, wiggling the fingers on his left hand. "I see he didn't take my hint."

Krystal felt a smile spread across her face. "Actually, he did,' she said in a casual tone. "Christmas Day, he asked me to marry him."

Harry shot a fist into the air and let out a whoop of excitement. Krystal laughed as he threw his arms around her.

"Congratulations!' he said, happily. Remus poked his head around the kitchen door, a quizzical smile on his face.

"Is it safe to come in now?" Harry, seeing him, grabbed him in a bear hug.

"Krystal told me that you're engaged! Congratulations, Remus."

* * *

For the next few minutes, Harry chattered excitedly, making them promise that he would be invited to the wedding; getting a little bright eyed when Remus asked him to be his best man. There was a wonderful feeling of joy in the room, an emotion that had been little felt by any of them since the war began. When Harry departed, the feeling lingered.

"You still want to marry me?' Remus asked, his voice held a touch of disbelief. Krystal put her arms around him.

"I'm only after your body,' she teased, pressing herself against him. She saw his small smile and she frowned.

"Do you want to marry me?' she asked, her voice serious. "Despite everything I've done to you?"

He shook his head, retorting, "It's not the same…." She grabbed his face in between her hands and forced him to look at her.

"It is the same. We've both done things to hurt each other; things we never thought we were capable of doing. You forgave me. I've forgiven you." She kissed him quickly. "It's exactly the same."

She kissed him again, this time the touch of his lips sparked a reaction in her and she stood on tip toes to get closer to him. He responded, feeling a similar flash of desire, his arms wrapping around her waist and lifting her a little so he could kiss her more thoroughly.

"You know,' she said a little breathlessly a few minutes later. "I heard at school that Sirius' parents caught him trying to have sex with Lindy Callahan in this very kitchen." She slid onto the table, parting her legs.

"On this very table," she continued, her eyes on Remus, who grinned and moved to stand between her legs.

"Trying?' he asked, as he took hold of her hips and pulled her to him.

"Well, Sirius said he did; Lindy said he tried,' she responded with a little giggle.

He laughed. "Hmmm. Well, I can't let Sirius be the only Marauder who knows how to show a girl a good time,' he said as his head lowered to her mouth.

* * *

Krystal and Remus spent the next week reconnecting with each other, both physically and emotionally. They talked a lot - about everything. They began to make plans for after the war, neither of them daring to give voice to their shared underlying terror; that one or both of them wouldn't survive it. Remus eventually stopped apologising for his behaviour and Krystal found him in the kitchen late in the week, pouring bottles of Firewhiskey down the sink.

He saw her concerned frown as she watched, and smiled reassuringly at her. "Don't worry, it's not a problem." He frowned himself, as he watched the amber fluid swirl around the sink before disappearing down the drain.

"But it could be if I don't do something about it now,' he added grimly.

She nodded and put her arms around him, resting her head on his chest as she watched him ridding himself of some of his demons.

Krystal heard from Harry and paid the teenagers a visit. She listened with mounting trepidation, as they laid out their plan for entry to Hogwarts. She advised them, offered suggestions and, once alone with Harry, reminded him of his promise to her.

Krystal hesitated before apparating. She sighed, realising that there was another stop she should make. There was something she'd been putting off, dreading what she might discover. But it was time to face the music - she had to know one way or another.

She appeared outside a familiar house, knocking on the door. When it opened, he was surprised to see her.

"I need your help with something,' Krystal said, entering the house.

She spent some time there, and when she left, still felt a little shell shocked that her suspicions had been confirmed. Finally, after having worked up the courage to go back to face Remus, she reluctantly apparated back to Grimmauld Place.

She was distracted though, as Remus greeted her in a way that suggested she'd been gone weeks instead of hours, and who wasted no time in showing her just how much he had missed her. Krystal was interrupted again later, as they received a Patronus from Severus, telling them he would be there later that night for an update on Harry.

* * *

It was nearly midnight as Krystal paced the study; Remus reading through some papers on the couch.

"Will you please stop?' he said finally, looking up at her. "Wearing a hole in the carpet will not make him arrive sooner. Come and sit down."

She stopped and sighed. "I know but I really need to speak to him tonight." She moved to the couch, though and sat beside him. Remus put his paper aside and lifted her legs so they lay across his lap.

"He'll be here,' he said soothingly, rubbing her bare feet, smiling a little at her soft moan.

"That's nice,' she murmured, laying her head against the cushions. She closed her eyes, relaxing for a minute, enjoying the feel of his hands caressing her feet. A thought struck her, and she sat up abruptly, horrified she hadn't thought of it earlier.

'Are you alright? With Severus coming here? I know that he..,' she stopped, unable to find the words that would hurt him the least.

"….quite enjoyed applying his own brand of torture to me?' he finished for her, his hands stilling their movements.

He nodded, saying, "Yeah, I'm fine. I hate to admit this, but I see now why you defend him. He really did take a chance for you, despite the fact it meant helping me as well. I'm still not convinced he doesn't have deeper feelings for you, but….' he shrugged. "I know Severus did what he had to do. Although,' he added, with a frown, 'I don't think he felt too terrible about doing it."

He looked at her anxious face and smiled, rubbing her leg. "It really is alright. I'm not going to backslide seeing him again."

Krystal smiled back at him. "Good,' she said, leaning in to kiss him.

For a few minutes, they forgot where they were as their lips teased each other. Remus' hand crept up the outside of her thigh and he pressed her back into the couch, shifting slightly so he lay across her. Their breathing quickened and Krystal's hands slid under Remus' shirt, feeling his skin warming under her touch. He moaned and moved his lips to her jaw and neck, nibbling gently, his stomach clenching in pleasure at the sound of her sudden, sharp intake of breath. Her back arched off the couch to allow him access as his hands worked to pull the bottom of her shirt out of the waistband of her skirt.

"Don't you two ever stop?" Came a low, disdainful voice from the doorway.

"Sev!' gasped Krystal, trying to push Remus off her as she saw the other man.

"Your timing is perfect as always, Severus,' sighed Remus as he sat up, pulling Krystal up with him.

"It looks as though I was fortunate I arrived now and not in five minutes time,' retorted Severus, moving into the room and sitting on a chair opposite the couch.

He watched, his mouth twitching slightly as a bright red Krystal pulled her shirt down and tried to smooth her hair. Remus, on the other hand, made no attempt to straighten himself up, reclining back on the cushions with a grin on his face. Krystal looked from one man to another, seeing their amusement.

"God, you two really are as bad as each other,' she snapped irritably, standing and striding into the kitchen, hearing Severus' snort and Remus' laughter as she did.

* * *

She returned in a few seconds with three Butterbeers. Severus raised his eyebrow at her as she handed him the bottle.

"No Firewhiskey, sorry." She said the words lightly, but Severus noticed the sudden tension in Lupin's shoulders and the twitch in his jaw.

'Interesting,' he thought, as he saw Krystal take the werewolf's hand and squeeze it, giving him a reassuring look.

"So, give me news so I can go and enjoy a real drink in my room,' he said, raising the bottle to his lips.

Krystal leant forward. "Harry is planning on entering Hogwarts tomorrow,' she said, seeing Severus choke a little on his drink as she spoke.

"Tomorrow?' he repeated, looking a little distressed now.

Krystal nodded in confirmation. "He believes that the last of what he searches for is there. Once he's found it, he is going to face the Dark Lord." He could hear the undercurrent of concern in her voice.

"I must see him before that happens,' Severus said, rising to his feet.

"I know,' Krystal stood as well. "He swore he would contact me before he sought You Know Who. Do you know where he is?"

Severus frowned and put his bottle on the small table next to his chair. "I know he has become anxious over the few days. There was some trouble at Gringotts; an item was stolen from the Lestranges' vault. Something, I believe, that was of great value to the Dark Lord."

Severus began to pace, his face troubled. "He has put Nagini in a protective bubble, as Dumbledore predicted he would." He looked up at Krystal. "He must not seek out the Dark Lord yet."

Krystal nodded, saying "I know. He swore to me…"

She stopped when Severus made an impatient noise. "His promise means nothing! He is undisciplined, impetuous…."

At this, Remus stood. "Don't let your low opinion of James influence how you treat Harry,' he said to Severus, who was staring at the brown haired man as if he had never seen him before. "James earned your scorn for what he did to you; Harry shouldn't suffer because of his father's legacy."

Severus was still looking at Remus as he replied, "But he is very much his father's son."

Krystal stepped forward and laid her hand on his arm and said softly, "He is also Lily's son, Sev."

Severus turned away from Remus quickly, but not before the other man saw the pain that swept across his face at Krystal's words. Sudden comprehension made him sink back into his chair. It was not Krystal that Severus was in love with. It was Lily.

He looked at Krystal, who's face unintentionally confirmed his thoughts, before she turned to Severus, speaking softly to him.

"He will contact me and I will bring him to you,' she promised.

Severus nodded and glanced at Krystal. "You care for the boy?' he asked quietly.

"I do,' she answered, and was startled by the shadow that crossed Severus' face.

"Why? Sev,' she said, becoming alarmed by what she had seen, ' What do you know? What is it you have to tell Harry? Don't tell me you can't say!'

Her voice rose as a feeling of dread threatened to engulf her. "What is it that Harry can't know before the end? What is it that he wouldn't be able to handle till then?"

She stopped, as the truth hit her like physical blow.

"Oh my god!' she whispered as she took a step away from him. Her body began to shake and tears of pain and anger filled her eyes. "He's not going to survive this, is he?' she said, seeing Remus stand quickly out of the corner of her eye. "That's the thing he can't know until the end - he can't win?"

Severus turned and looked directly into her eyes. "That depends on your definition of winning,' he said, his voice low, but his own distress was audible. "If Potter succeeds in his mission, and faces the Dark Lord with the information I will give him, everyone will win - the Dark Lord will be destroyed."

"But Harry will be dead?' said Remus, with an expression of horror. Severus did not need to say anything; the answer was evident on his face.

"No,' said Krystal, desperately. "There must be another way. I'll do it, why can't I do it?"

But Severus was already shaking his head.

"It has to be Potter. It's an ancient, dark magic, Krystal. There is no other way." He walked over to Krystal and took her shoulders, leaning in to speak softly to her.

"Do you think I like this? After all these years, to have to watch the last reminder I have of Lily…."

He took a shaky breath and struggled to regain control of himself. "I don't like this either, but it is the only way."

He dropped his hands from her shoulders. "You must not warn him," he said firmly. "It is not your responsibility." He walked to the doorway of the room, looking back at the shell shocked couple.

"I am sorry,' he said as he turned back and left the house.

* * *

For a long time there was silence.

"No." Krystal was shaking her head. "It can't be right, there has to be another way. There's always another way. How can Harry kill You Know Who if he's dead? It doesn't make sense, Remus. There's something missing."

Remus too, was looking for another answer. "Snape's mistaken. He has to be. Dumbledore would never betray Harry like this; he loved Harry."

They stared at each other for a second, their eyes echoing the same sense of panic. "I have to go to Hogwarts,' said Krystal. "I have to see him; I have to help him. Albus said that I had to teach him to survive. He wouldn't have told me to look after him if he'd planned on letting him be killed." Her voice had risen and anger started to take hold.

"He had to know; he had to know I wouldn't just stand by and…." Her rage became too much and she threw the Butterbeer bottle at the mirror above the fireplace with a sob.

As the glass shattered and fell to the floor, Remus spun her back to face him and held her in his arms, his strength allowing her to be weak for a time. They stood in the middle of the room and held each other, not realising they were already grieving for the boy they both loved.


	51. Chapter 49

**Thanks for reviews, my lovelies! Hope you enjoy this chappie. Krystal tells Remus what she's been hiding from him and there is sex! Hot, werewolf lovin'! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Forty nine

As soon as Krystal had calmed down, Remus contacted other members of the Order to let them know to prepare for the final battle in the coming days. Krystal used the Trace to find Harry, and was relieved to find he and his companions miles away from Hogwarts.

"They'll move under the cover of darkness, I'm sure, so they won't go anywhere until tomorrow evening. It's too late now,' Krystal said, realising it was now after one o'clock as she closed her mind again.

Remus was looking pale, but strangely calm. As she began to pace again, he stood in front of her and put his arms around her.

"The Order is ready to move when we give the word. Harry and the others are safe for tonight. There is nothing else we can do to help him now."

At his words, Krystal felt a wave of helplessness flow over her. She knew he was right, but it didn't make her feel any better.

"C'mon." Remus led her out into the hall and up the stairs to their room. "If you and I are going to be of any use to Harry tomorrow, we need some rest."

His words seemed to startle Krystal out of her thoughts. She looked at him and frowned.

"Would you do something for me?' she asked him.

Remus looked at her, a smile on his face as he said, "Hmm, that depends on what it is - nothing too kinky……"

She interrupted him. "I don't want you to go tomorrow,' she said, her voice firm.

Remus' smile disappeared and he raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Excuse me?' he replied, his voice a little dangerous.

"Remus, you were tortured by these animals. You escaped from them. They are going to make you a target to get revenge. You can't go." She folded her arms across her chest and looked at him, her face stubborn.

"And what do you think will happen when Bellatrix gets a good look at you?' he retorted. "There is no way I am staying here while you go and fight - what kind of man do you think I am?"

His voice had risen angrily, but she shook her head. "I refuse to allow this. If I have to hex you, I will,' her eyes glistening, not just with frustration at his inability to do as she asked.

"You refuse…..Jesus, Krystal! You can't think I would do this - stay behind and let everyone else fight for me? What are you thinking?"

He was yelling now and she yelled back. "I'm thinking that I can't lose you again. It nearly killed me when they took you and I can't..….."

She stopped when she realised she was almost screaming, tears streaming down her face. Remus was looking at her with a stricken expression.

"They've taken you from me twice already,' she said softly; pleadingly. "I'm not strong enough to lose you again."

Remus moved quickly, pulling her to him and kissing her. "You won't lose me,' he said, against her lips.

"You can't promise me that." She dropped her head as spoke quietly into his chest. He made her look up at him.

" No. No more than you can promise it to me,' he replied, his own eyes betraying his fear. "I dreamed about this, remember. I dreamed about the final battle and I saw you killed. I couldn't breathe. It was just a dream, but I felt it, Krys; I felt it and I know I won't survive it if you're taken from me again."

His tears mingled with hers as he put his cheek to hers. "But I know I can't ask you to stay behind. I have to fight too, Krys. I have to fight for James' son."

She knew he was right; knew that he would never have stayed behind. He was too brave a man to allow others to fight for him.

He moved his head and his mouth met hers. Their kiss became fierce as they funnelled their fear and anxiety into passion. Krystal pushed Remus until his back hit the wall, still kissing him frantically. Remus pulled away as he grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it quickly over her head, bending to resume the kiss, running his hands over her shoulders and back. Her hands scrabbled at his buttons, and in frustration she yanked the sides hard, tearing the remaining buttons off.

He helped her pull his shirt off and hissed as her lips and teeth found his nipples. He held her head and moaned as she rained kissed all over his chest and shoulders. She bent and ran her tongue across his stomach, her hands brushing over the front of his pants as she fumbled with his fly. He let out a strangled groan at the touch and when she pulled his pants down and cupped him, he lost control.

With a growl, he seized her shoulders and spun her until her back was to the wall. He took her mouth roughly and pressed himself against her, kicking his legs to rid himself of his pants. He bent his head to her breasts, impatiently pushing her bra down so he could take her nipple in his mouth. He heard her loud moan and felt her hands twist in his hair as he bit her nipple then soothed it with his tongue.

As he found the sweet spot on her neck, she let out a cry and clutched at him, moving her hips against him.

"For Gods sake Remus,' she cried, her need making her voice harsh. "I want you in me. Now! Please!"

All restraint gone now, he yanked her skirt up and pushed her underwear aside as she lifted her leg. He moved closer, lifted her higher and thrust up into her, closing his eyes as he felt her heat envelop him.

"Fuck!" he swore, as he thrust again and she cried out, wrapping her leg around him. He needed to be closer. He reached around her to grab her ass and lift her, using the wall to support them. She swore now, just as loudly and obscenely as him, and she wrapped her other leg around his waist, hanging on to his shoulders as he thrust into her at a new angle, hitting every spot inside her that was crying out for contact. It took just seconds for Krystal to start to convulse around him, her teeth sinking hard into his shoulder as she cried out her pleasure. One more thrust sent Remus over the edge, his voice joining hers as he rode out his own release.

* * *

His legs shaking, Remus leaned against Krystal for a moment, trying to even out his breathing. He felt her legs slipping down to the ground, but he lifted her again, staggering backwards until he felt the edge of the bed against the back of his legs. Remus fell back, collapsing onto the bed, with Krystal on top of him. She giggled as he groaned.

"You Know Who be damned! You're going to kill me before he has the chance,' he gasped, hearing her laugh at his gallows humour. They lay there for a few minutes, their breathing finally slowing.

"Christ, you're heavy!' he grumbled, shifting so he was more comfortable. She frowned and poked him.

"You're never supposed to say that to a woman. Not if you ever want to see her naked again anyway."

She tried to move off him but he held her where she was.

"Hold on,' he said, looking up at her. He had only been half serious when he complained about her weight on him, but now looking at her, he thought she did look curvier.

"Remus, what are you looking at?" She laughed but he noticed she looked a little nervous.

"Did you cast a charm on your breasts - they look bigger. Not that I'm complaining,' he added hastily.

She frowned and bit her lip. Remus frowned too.

"What is it?' he asked. "You know I don't care if you've put on weight; you got too damn skinny as it was, and I think I just showed you how hot I think you are."

He grinned and moved his hips lasciviously. Krystal sighed and slipped off him. She moved to sit up against the headboard and clutched a pillow to her chest. Remus rolled over and sat up, staring at her.

"You're starting to worry me now,' he said. "If I said the wrong thing….." Krystal shook her head.

"I have put on weight,' she said, looking at him warily. "And I'm going to be putting on a lot more." She shook her head again. "This is not how I wanted to tell you."

When he looked at her, still obviously confused, she sighed again.

"I'm pregnant, Remus."

He looked at her blankly for a moment.

"What?' he said finally.

"I am pregnant,' she said slowly, concerned about his reaction. He turned and sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the ground.

"Are you sure?" His voice was calm, his words careful.

Krystal nodded. "I went to see Matt after I visited Harry today. He confirmed it."

Remus stood up and walked across the room. He grabbed his pants off the ground and pulled them on. Krystal watched him, her heart falling. He came back and sat on the end of the bed, looking at her for the first time.

'Remus, I…' she began, but he interrupted.

"How….?" He seemed to be unable to find the words he needed.

"How?' she said, sarcastically. "Well, when a man and a woman love each other very much…" He shook his head.

"I mean, how pregnant are you? I thought you were doing the spells…" She frowned at him.

"I'm about four or five months along, I think. I guess that means it happened around Christmas, maybe just before Christmas. Matt didn't have time to check exact dates. And I was doing the spells…Matt said sometimes they just….. don't work."

She watched him sit there, staring at the floor. "I didn't plan this, Remus."

She saw him frown and she clenched her jaw and stood up, still holding the pillow against her. Surely he didn't still think...

"It _is_ yours,' she said stiffly, her eyes glowing silver for a moment. He looked up, startled.

"I never doubted that,' he said. Krystal glared at him, and stalked over to her clothes, quickly pulling her shirt back on.

"Look,' she said suddenly. "I know that this is unexpected and that the timing is incredibly bad, but whether we like it or not, I am having a baby; your baby, and you can choose to be a part of that…… or you can piss off."

Krystal threw the pillow at him and left the room, cursing at him under her breath.

* * *

Remus sat frozen on the edge of the bed, holding the pillow she'd hit him in the head with. Krystal was furious with him, and he couldn't really blame her. They had talked about this when they were together all those years ago, both knowing that they would most likely not be able to have children.

It wasn't as if he didn't like the idea of being a father. In fact, quite the opposite. It was his deepest desire to have a family one day, and he would love to have one with Krystal, but his lycanthropy was an unknown element - people like him didn't breed. Would he pass his problems on to an unsuspecting child? He put his head in his hands and pulled on his hair. He knew he'd handled this badly. Remus stood up and went looking for Krystal.

He found her in the living room, laying curled up on the couch, staring into the fire she'd conjured. Remus stood in the doorway for a few moments just watching her. Despite his uncertainty, a little jolt of animalistic pride shot through him at the thought of her pregnant with his child. He moved to the couch, startling her as he crouched in front of her.

"I seem to always be asking you to forgive me,' he said. Krystal smiled a little.

"I would love to be a father, and I would love for you to be the mother of my child. But I'm not normal, Krys. I wouldn't wish my problem on anyone, let alone my own child."

Krystal shook her head, lifting herself up on her elbow.

"If you were to let me get a word in edgewise sometimes, it would save a lot of trouble. It just so happens that when I visited Matt, I spoke to him about this very thing."

Remus blinked, surprised. "And what did he say?' he said, warily, not wanting to get his hopes up.

Krystal looked at him as she said, "Things have changed since we last talked about this Remus. Healers know more about lycanthropy now. Matt seems to think that because you were bitten, not a born werewolf, and you weren't transformed at the time of conception, that there is only a tiny chance of our baby being a lycanthrope."

Remus stared at her for a second, his heart beating fast in his chest, as he hardly dared to breathe. "Is he sure?"

She nodded. "He's sure."

As she spoke, Remus' face transformed. His tense, worried expression gave way to a look of pure joy.

"We're going to have a baby,' he whispered, a huge smile on his face. Krystal giggled, as he threw himself forward, kissing her excitedly. His enthusiasm knocked her over onto her back and she put her arms around him.

"I love you, I love you,' he repeated it over and over as he kissed his way down to her belly. He lifted her shirt up and put his hands over her stomach. Now he could see the swell of a baby bump and he kissed her there gently.

"Do you know if it's a boy or girl?' he asked, resting his head on her, as he rubbed her stomach.

"No,' she said, absently running her fingers through his hair. "It's a fighter, whatever it is. Matt said he was surprised with all that was happening, that the baby seemed healthy."

Remus' head shot up. "God, you were pregnant through all that? Me being taken, the ambush."

He went pale, his face aghast. "You were pregnant all those nights when I…."

Krystal stopped him with a kiss. "I'm fine, baby's fine. Don't do this, Remus. Not tonight."

He smiled at her and kissed her again, this time allowing it to deepen as he kept a protective hand on her abdomen. She broke the kiss with a soft laugh.

"I didn't break after what we just did upstairs, Remus, and I won't now. Will you get up here and ravish me?"

He laughed and moved so he was hovering above her. "You're sure we won't hurt it?' he asked.

"Positive,' she replied, with a cheeky grin. "Now, why don't you refresh my memory? How exactly did you manage to knock me up?"

* * *

Later the next day, Remus was trying to hang on to his patience as he spoke to Krystal. "I really wish you would reconsider this,' he said for the third time that day. "You are having a baby. You shouldn't be in the middle of a war."

Krystal shook her head. "For the last time, Remus. It's my job to get Harry through this fight. If he doesn't win, this world won't be somewhere I want to bring a child into." He opened his mouth again. "Just drop it,' she snapped.

Remus dropped it, a little surprised at her short temper, but he decided to say nothing. He could see that there was no point talking to her while she was in this mood.

Krystal checked the Trace again and found out the teenagers were still in the same area as they had been the night before. Several Order members had contacted Remus already that morning, letting him know that they were ready to move when they got the call. Krystal was edgy and irritable; Remus put in down to a combination of concern for Harry and pregnancy hormones, although he felt it probably wasn't wise to say this aloud.

"I want to go to The Burrow,' Krystal said suddenly.

Remus looked at her, startled. "Really?' he questioned. "Why?"

She shook her head. "I just need to be somewhere else. I'd feel closer to everything if I was there, I think." She didn't say that she needed distracting from her thoughts, and that Grimmauld Place was too quiet.

Remus stood. "Alright,' he said, understanding her need to be involved. "Arthur's the Secret Keeper, but he told me the location so I can apparate us there. When do you want to go?"

Krystal smiled and reached up to kiss him quickly. "Right now! Thank you,' she said, gratefully. "I'll get our things."

She ran up the stairs and Remus sank back into his chair, feeling a little guilty. He was determined that Krystal should not fight in the coming battle. He knew that she respected Molly Weasley, and he hoped the advice of someone who had been in her situation would convince her to stay away from Hogwarts.

* * *

Krystal returned quickly; they didn't have many belongings with them, and she and Remus apparated to The Burrow. They appeared just in front of the strangely lopsided house, startling Molly, who was sweeping the porch.

"Remus, Krystal? What are you doing here?" She hurried forward to greet them, enveloping them both in a hug.

"We're here to stay until we hear about Harry - if that's alright, Molly,' Remus said.

"Of course it is. You're both always welcome. Come in, come in….Krystal, you're looking a bit peaky. Let's get you inside."

Molly put her arm around the younger woman and drew her inside the house, insisting she sit and have some lunch. Remus looked at Krystal: Molly was right. She did look pale.

Molly set two bowls of soup in front of them, urging them to eat as she stepped into the pantry.

"Are you alright?' Remus asked Krystal quietly, putting his hand on her stomach protectively.

"I'm fine, just a little tired." She smiled at him, and as Molly re-entered the room, Remus dropped his hand and returned to his food, distracted by his concern for Krystal. Perhaps apparition was too much for her in her condition. He wanted to ask Molly, but he didn't know if Krystal wanted the news public yet. But he hadn't counted on the other woman's intuition.

She sat opposite them and smiled. "So, how far along are you?' she asked.

Both Remus and Krystal looked up at her, soup filled spoons frozen in the air. Krystal recovered first.

"Sorry?' she said, shooting a warning glance at Remus, who quickly lowered his spoon and tried to look confused.

"I've had six pregnancies, Krystal. You're pale and tired looking; you're shaky from apparition; you've lost weight everywhere except on your stomach and breasts; and Remus can't keep his hands off your belly. When are you due?"

Remus felt a proud smile creeping across his face, even as Krystal tried to explain away her symptoms. Molly looked at him and her own smile broadened. Krystal saw their faces and realised the secret was out.

"You're a lot of help,' she grumbled to Remus, as Molly squealed in delight.

"Congratulations, both of you!" She came around the table to hug Remus, who happily accepted her good wishes. "And Krystal, you must be so excited. A baby!" Krystal gave a weak smile as she received Molly's hug.

"We aren't telling anyone yet, Molly,' she warned. The red haired woman made a movement near her mouth to indicate turning a key in a lock.

"So, from the looks of you, you're about, what, four or five months along?' Molly guessed, Krystal nodding confirmation. "That makes you due in July or August?" Again, Krystal nodded. "I've still got the loveliest little sunsuits of Ginny's in the attic, they've still got a lot of wear in them: they grow out of clothes so quickly."

Molly continued in this vein for the next ten minutes, with Remus joining in with questions occasionally. Neither of them noticed how quiet Krystal was as she stared into her soup.

"And you'll be staying here, won't you, Krystal? You can't go to Hogwarts, not in your condition,' Molly said, turning to the young woman.

"No." Krystal spoke quietly, but firmly.

There was silence for a moment, then Remus said, "Krys, you have to think of the baby…."

He broke off as Krystal stood abruptly. "And what about Harry?' she asked, her words clipped.

Remus frowned and said, "Harry has everyone in the Order looking out for him, as well as the Aurors and……"

"I was entrusted with Harry's care, no one else. It is my job to help him, and I intend on doing that. Thank you for the soup, Molly."

With those words, Krystal turned and left the room, walking out onto the porch.

Remus let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, Molly. She's tired, and worried about Harry. Plus we fought: I'm afraid I handled the news about the baby badly at first,' he admitted.

Molly frowned. "And what about Krystal?"

Remus looked at her in confusion. "I assume that this was unplanned?' she said.

Remus nodded, still not getting her point. "How does she feel about it?, Molly asked. He stared at her.

"Well, she's ……."

He stopped. He didn't know how Krystal really felt about the pregnancy. He'd assumed she was happy about it.

"Maybe someone should ask her how she's feeling,' Molly suggested gently, looking pointedly at Remus. "No time like the present."

* * *

Krystal was not on the porch or in the yard. Remus wandered over past the chicken coop and suddenly, he knew where he would find her. He pushed through a hedge and disapparated into the trees ringing the property. A few seconds later, he appeared on the pebbled bank of a small lake. Looking around, he saw her laying on the ground under a tree, looking up into the sky, her hands over her stomach.

He approached and lay down next to her.

"I'm an incredible idiot sometimes,' he began, glancing over at her, relieved when he saw the corner of her mouth twitch.

"I hope you're not waiting for me to disagree,' she said and he shook his head.

"I was so caught up in my own feelings, I never bothered to ask you how you felt about all this." Remus watched her carefully and saw her sigh.

"It's not that I'm not happy about it, Remus. I know we agreed that we wouldn't have children, but I guess I never realised how much I still hoped it was possible. It's like a dream come true." He reached over and took her hand, feeling a small squeeze as she grasped his.

"It's just……really bad timing. I have to help Harry. I have to try and make up for what I did to James and Lily, and protecting their son is the only way I can see to do that."

She sighed again, turning to look at him.

"I really care for Harry. I need to concentrate on him right now, and I can't. I'm tired and cranky and distracted." She was starting to get upset now.

"And I'm scared. Because I know what I'm going to be facing, and I know that if one good Stunner hits me ……'

A sob escaped her lips, and he rolled onto his side, his arm sliding across her to offer comfort.

"Harry would understand. James and Lily would understand,' he said gently.

She shook her head, tears falling from her troubled eyes. "I could never forgive myself if I hide and Harry fails. And I couldn't stand it if I fight and something happens to our baby. I don't know what to do."

Remus pulled her towards him and held her while she cried. After several minutes, she lifted her head away from his chest and wiped her face with her hands.

"God, I can't believe I've got months of this kind of crap ahead of me,' she sniffed, disgusted by her emotional breakdown.

Remus laughed and used the hem of his shirt to wipe the moisture off her face, leaning over to kiss her when he was done.

"I can't tell you what to do, Krys. For very selfish reasons, I want you to stay out of harms way, but I understand why you need to fight." He ran his hands up her arms as he spoke. "I can't make this choice for you. You have to do what your heart tells you."

* * *

They lay there for a long time, listening to the birds in the branches above them, and the wind rustling the leaves. Finally, with a kiss on her head, Remus broke the silence.

"Molly will be getting worried, we should go back." Krystal groaned in protest, but let Remus pull her to her feet. He held her hands for a moment.

"You're going to fight, aren't you?' he asked quietly.

Krystal gazed at him then nodded. "Are you angry?' she said, her voice low. He smiled ruefully and stroked her cheek.

"No,' he answered, his hand moving around to the back of her neck. "You wouldn't be the woman I love if you made any other choice."

He could see his dread echoed in her eyes as he drew her to him and kissed her softly. Remus rested his forehead against hers. "I love you, Krys. I've loved you all my life."

Krystal kissed him back and whispered against his lips, "I love you, Remus. I can't wait to have your baby."

At her words, Remus' control over his fear snapped. He pulled her close and held her tight, struggling to reign in his panic, his terror: both for them and for their baby.

They made their way back to the house, walking hand in hand in silence. There was nothing else to say.

As they reached the porch, Arthur Weasley met them.

"We've just heard from Aberforth Dumbledore. Harry is heading for Hogwarts."


	52. Chapter 50

**I do like my characters knocked up ASAP! No guarantee of a happy ending for them both though. (Sorry, MoonNghtLover and Triskelesque - but you're just going to have to keep reading )**

**Thanks for all the reviews, duckies.**

**Timing and sequencing may be off from those in DH - what can I say? I'm lazy and, bugger it, JKR had her turn, this is mine! (Except Remus (who I wish was mine) and any other characters you might recognise. I'm not making any money from this ... Blah blah blah) **

**Apologies to those who love Mama Weasley saying "Bitch" in DH but I've cut it out. (Hurt me coz I love that scene but it had to be done)**

* * *

Chapter Fifty

Krystal felt the strong grip of Remus' hand as their eyes adjusted to the gloom of their surroundings. They had apparated to The Hog's Head pub in Hogsmeade, where Aberforth Dumbledore was waiting for them.

"Lupin." The older man nodded a greeting at Remus before turning to Krystal, looking her over and shaking his head.

"I'd heard a rumour………Always thought you were too smart to get yourself killed by a dolt like Snape, girl,' he said gruffly, then he pulled her into a quick hug.

"It's really good to see you, Ab,' Krystal mumbled into his shoulder, again feeling tears rise to the surface as she greeted her cousin. She gave herself a mental shake, and pulled away as Remus spoke.

"We need to get into Hogwarts,' Remus said, regretting that he had to interrupt their reunion. It had struck him as he watched them embrace that Aberforth, Albus' brother, was the only family Krystal had left, and he was saddened that he had to pull her away so soon. But he had no intention of letting Krystal out of his sight: not until he absolutely had to.

Aberforth nodded. "Thought you might,' he said, moving to the portrait above the fireplace. "Through there,' he gestured to the picture. "Potter and his friends went through there about an hour ago. It will come out in the Room of Requirement: some of the kids have been hiding in there. You'll see,' he said, seeing their frowns.

Remus helped Krystal into the portrait and followed her as they made their way through a roughly cut tunnel, holding his lit wand high. Krystal halted suddenly: a door had appeared from out of the dark. Remus grabbed her arm as she reached out to turn the knob.

"Wait,' he whispered, manoeuvring himself past her in the tight space. He heard her let out a frustrated breath, but ignored it as he slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open, thrusting his wand forward as he did.

A rush of sound hit them as they stepped out of the tunnel into a brightly lit room, filled with Hogwarts students. Krystal heard several voices cry out to Remus and watched as the former professor greeted the teenagers. A small smile snuck across her lips as she saw how Remus interacted with the kids: she couldn't help thinking about what a great father he was going to make. Her smile disappeared, as she remembered the long path ahead, with no guarantee of a happy ending for them.

She stepped forward into the throng. "Has anyone seen Harry?' she called out. The excited voices faded and a tall gangly boy stepped forward.

"He went with Luna to Ravenclaw Tower,' he began, but was interrupted as the tunnel door opened and people flooded into the already crowded room. Order members, Weasleys and Aurors stepped through the door and into the arms of family and friends.

Krystal pushed past the crowd until she was in front of the boy who had spoken. "Excuse me,' she said loudly. "What's your name?" The boy stared at her.

"Neville Longbottom,' he answered, with a frown.

"Frank's son?,' she said in surprise, remembering the quiet spoken man she'd known at school.

Neville also looked surprised and nodded, asking her, "Who are you?"

She pulled him away from the pressing crowd of people and said urgently, "My name is Krystal. I've been helping Harry, Ron and Hermione. I need to see Harry - where is he?" Before Neville could answer, Harry burst into the room.

She saw him looking around the room, saying a distracted hello to some of the newcomers. Quickly, she moved through the mass of people towards him, but he spotted her before she reached him.

"Krystal,' he called, also trying to get through the hordes. "He's here; Voldemort is here!"

There was a sudden silence as Harry's words resonated throughout the room. Kingsley Shacklebolt stepped forward.

"Everyone into the Great Hall. We need to organise our defences,' he gestured to the door as he spoke, and the crowd began to dissipate, leaving to prepare for the battle.

Harry reached Krystal and she threw her arms around him. "I know what it is, Krys. I just don't know where to find it,' he said hurriedly, as Remus approached them.

"Maybe we can help, we went to school here too. What is it?' said Krystal, staring intently at Harry. He thought for a moment; it wouldn't hurt to tell them what it was at this stage.

"Ravenclaw's Diadem - I need to find it." Krystal and Remus both looked startled.

"Harry, the diadem has been lost for decades,' Remus began, but was silenced by Harry's violent shake of his head.

"No. It's in the castle. I have to find it." He looked around at the few remaining people in the room. Mrs Weasley was arguing with Ginny, Fred, Bill, George and Fleur around them.

"Where are Ron and Hermione?' he asked, frowning.

Krystal looked distractedly around the room. "Haven't seen them. Harry, you need to go; you need to find….."

She was interrupted by someone falling through the tunnel door, and Harry and Remus moved towards the Weasleys.

* * *

After a few tense minutes with his family, Krystal was introduced to the newcomer Percy Weasley. Krystal and the others then ran to the Great Hall, where Kingsley was busy sorting the remaining students and teachers into groups. As he was finishing, a cold, high pitched voice echoed through the hall.

It was Voldemort - giving them a time frame to give up Harry. A dark haired girl turned to point to Harry and screeched for everyone to get him. Krystal stepped forward, about to cast a shield in front of him, but she was beaten to it by the rest of the school, who turned to face the girl, wands raised, protecting Harry.

Time flew as the youngest students were sent through the tunnel to safety, and the remaining forces where sent around the school to guard the various entrances, trying to keep the Death Eaters out for as long as possible. Remus, after losing a short, but fierce argument, dragged Krystal with him to the grounds of Hogwarts - where Auror's and Order stood together - the front line of the battle.

They waited as the last minutes of the time allotted raced by; Remus standing behind Krystal with his arms around her, hands spread protectively across her belly. She leaned back into him and laced her fingers with his, kissing the side of his face as he buried it into her neck.

As a great boom was heard throughout the grounds, Remus tensed, then kissed her neck. He dropped his arms and moved to stand next to her, his wand raised. He looked at her: her face was pale but set. She turned to him, seeing his tension. She nodded at him, reassuringly and he gave her a small smile back before they both turned to face the streams of light that were shot into the middle of the defences.

* * *

"Protego!"

The shout rang out from all directions as dozens of jets of red light rained down on them. Masked men and women ran out of the Forbidden Forest, wands flashing as they clashed with the castle's defenders. Remus and Krystal were separated as each battled a separate foe and soon, the grounds were swimming with duelling witches and wizards, red, white and green lights flashing.

Remus lost track of Krystal as a Death Eater ran straight at him, wand flashing red. He responded with a shield then sent a stream of curses at the masked man.

"Aren't you happy to see me, Lupin?' came the taunt as the man removed his mask. Remus felt a wave of rage crash over him as he saw the face of one of the men who had abused him when he had been held prisoner.

The man, Asper, laughed as he shot a Stunner at Remus. The lycanthrope cast a shield charm and, in an irrational move, threw himself at the man's legs, tackling him to the ground. Taken unawares, Asper raised his wand, but his hex was interrupted as Remus slammed his fists into his face, over and over, until he felt the man go limp under him. A curse flew over his head and he smelt singed hair; the spell had been close. Remus rolled off Asper and saw another attacker approaching, wand raised high.

Before Remus could cast a spell, a jet of green light from off to his left hit the man, sending him crashing to the ground. Remus scrambled to his feet, looking over to where the curse had come from. He saw Krystal Stun her own Death Eater and then smile, sending him a cheeky wave.

"You're welcome,' she called, before dodging a purple streak that came from the opposite direction.

Remus grinned then ran to help Arthur Weasley who was struggling with two Death Eaters.

* * *

Krystal was duelling with a short, stocky female Death Eater when a stream of red light came flying through the air, striking the masked woman in the chest. She turned to see who had assisted her, and was shocked to see a Death Eater approach her. Raising her hand she shot a hex at him, but he deflected it with his wand. She tried again, but the man kept coming at her, deflecting her spells; forcing her back into the trees.

Krystal was moving backwards and tripped over a tree root, falling heavily to the ground; it was a reflex for her hands to drop to try and break her fall. Before she could raise her defences, the masked man cast a body bind hex on her. She felt her body stiffen and looked up, her eyes defiant; she wouldn't die cowering at this coward's feet. Her attacker crouched, and with a wave of his wand, his mask disappeared; and the hex released.

"Sev,' she said, then lowered her voice as he looked nervously around them.

"Where is Potter?' he asked urgently.

"He's inside. He's nearly there, Sev." Severus nodded, then looked over his shoulder again.

"I'll be out here or in the Shrieking Shack. The Dark Lord is waiting there. Send your Patronus - I'll know what it means."

She nodded, and he looked down at her, reaching out a hand and touching her face.

"Be careful, Krys,' he said, and she was startled by his use of her nickname - he had never used it before.

His voice held a softness she'd never heard in it before, and she realised that he was saying goodbye.

Krystal grasped his hand, kissing it quickly. "Thank you, Sev. For my life; for Remus' life." He nodded, then stood, his mask returning.

"Stay down until I'm clear of the trees,' he hissed as he took one look back at her, then strode back into the battle. She did that one last thing for him, sitting under the tree until she was sure he'd had time to put some distance between them.

* * *

Moving slowly back through the trees, Krystal heard rustling. She stopped, warily looking around. A twig cracked off to the side and she spun around, only to feel arms encircled her from behind, holding her tight. She screamed, before a gloved hand came over her mouth, muffling her cries. Krystal tried to move her arms to get her hands around to cast a spell, but he held her too tightly; she would hit herself if she tried. She settled for trying to kick him and twist out of his grasp. Her eyes widened as she saw a masked Death Eater step out from behind the trees and approach, his wand held high.

"Well, well. Who have we here?' he sang. He came closer and the end of his wand lit up in the gloom of the forest, shining light across her face.

"Ahhh!' he said, recognition in his voice. "The werewolf lover!"

Krystal heard a laugh from the man holding her, and her blood went cold. Two men; no help in sight. She'd seen first hand what the Dark Lord's servants did to their prisoners before they killed them, and she refused to spend her last minutes being tortured by these animals. Suddenly, with that thought, her mind was very clear.

Krystal ceased her struggling and kicking. She stood still and tall. Physical strength wasn't going to get her out of this, and, while their wands were on her, magic was of no use to her either. No, she had to use her brain and the element of surprise.

"What does a pretty girl like you see in a filthy half breed like Lupin?' he asked. "Like a bit of rough, do you?"

He put his face close to hers, his eyes glinting behind his mask, and pressed his lower body up against her.

"I can play rough. I can bite,' he growled threateningly, his wand hand lowering as he reached down to squeeze her breasts hard. Her jaw clenched but she didn't allow any sound of pain escape her lips. She felt him press himself against her again, his arousal now obvious. Krystal waited until she felt the arms holding her relax a little, then moved quickly.

She lifted her bent leg sharply, smashing her knee into the groin of the man in front of her. He screamed in pain and fell back, as Krystal threw her head back and slammed it into the second man's nose, hearing a crunch as the bones broke. Wrenching her arms out of his grasp, she flung up her hands and cast two Stunners, one at each man. They fell to the ground, limp and motionless.

Krystal was breathing fast, feeling anger rise in her chest. She choked down the impulse to kill them; to fight back as she couldn't when this had happened all those years ago, and placed a Body Bind on both men; also putting up a protective charm, so they remained invisible to anyone who might come searching for them. As an afterthought, she stuck their wands in her pocket. A deep breath helped her calm down and she could hear screams from the site of the battle.

* * *

As she reached the edge of the trees, she paused. Bodies littered the grounds of her old school: some writhing in pain, some laying very still. Krystal looked frantically around the still duelling wizards for Remus, her heart slowing a little when she saw him over the other side of the battlefield, duelling with Dolohov.

A jet of light soared over her head and she threw herself back into the fight, joining Kingsley to bring down a large blond Death Eater. He had just hit the ground when Krystal heard an enraged scream.

"You!"

Krystal spun around in time to see Bellatrix Lestrange throw a Stunner at her. Her hands flew up, a shield charm blocking the hex but lost her balance and fell to the ground, another Stunner missing her by inches.

"Long time, no see, Bella!' she called as she threw her own Stunner at the dark haired woman, scrambling to her feet quickly.

"I knew it!' Bellatrix screamed as she blocked Krystal's hex and cast another back at her. "I knew he didn't have the guts to kill you!"

Krystal held a protective shield in front of her and deflected the hex back at Bellatrix, who spun to avoid it, raising her own shield to block the Body Bind Krystal threw immediately at her.

"I've been sunning myself abroad all these years,' yelled Krystal, shield spell protecting her as she shot half a dozen curses one after the other at the wild eyed Death Eater. "How've you been, Bella? I see Azkaban wasn't kind to you."

She laughed, then ducked as a spell came close to her head, spinning around to throw another straight back. Bellatrix laughed also, as she watched a purple ray of light, miss Krystal by mere millimetres.

"You chose the wrong side!' she taunted, sending more purple light flying at her nemesis. "You haven't got a chance against us - you of all people should know that!"

Krystal cast a Body Bind hex, missing Bellatrix by a hair.

"No Unforgivables, Kryssie?' called Bellatrix, with a short laugh. "What's the matter? Lost your nerve?"

She ducked as Krystal sent a Cruciatus curse speeding towards her.

Bellatrix sent her own back, screaming in fury, "I'm going to kill you, Kryssie! But before I do, I'm going to make you watch me kill your half breed boyfriend!"

She laughed but her amusement was short lived as Krystal sent a furious procession of spells at her, one brushing her arm, but not wounding her badly enough to break her focus.

The two women were moving fast around each other, dancing out of the way of curses and taunting each other. The air was hot around them as they battled, equal in skill and tenacity. Other duellers got out of their way as Bellatrix and Krystal soon fell silent, all their concentration and strength needed to just stay upright. Krystal could feel her stamina waning: the pregnancy was draining her energy.

Finally, a hex made vicious contact, knocking one of the woman to the ground, with a scream. Bellatrix laughed maniacally as she walked quickly to stand over Krystal, who was holding her bloody face.

"This time, Kryssie, there'll be no coming back,' she hissed. Krystal tried to get her hands up to cast a curse, but Bellatrix had raised her wand and was already screaming, "Avada Kedavra!"

The killing curse never came: Krystal saw it flying off into the distance as Bellatrix's face froze. Krystal rolled out of the way as the dark haired woman fell face first onto the ground where she had lain. Gasping and trying to see through her bloody eyes, Krystal looked up and saw Remus standing where Bellatrix had, his wand raised and face pale.

"You're welcome,' he said as he helped her up, pulling her tight against him for a moment.

"Come on. They're breaking through, let's get back to the castle."

He turned, just as a bolt of purple light hit him, right in the chest. He was spun back around by the force of the curse, his eyes wide with shock before he fell at Krystal's feet.

"Remus!' she screamed.

Another curse burned past her arm, and she raised her hands in fury. She threw a spell at the Death Eater, the strength of it knocking him high into the air, his body crunching sickeningly as it hit the ground. Two masked men ran at her, wands raised. She swept her hand across her body, and the men went flying.

Krystal fell to her knees and grabbed Remus, shaking his lifeless body.

"Remus?' she whispered desperately. "Please, Remus." Her trembling hands went to his face, cupping it as she leant down.

"Please, honey. Please…" she begged him. She tried to see if his chest was moving, but the blood from her cut was getting in her eyes. Her hands were shaking as she felt for a pulse.

Another curse flew over her head. She looked up and saw that the Order were retreating back to the castle. Arthur Weasley yelled at her.

"Krystal, come on. There's nothing you can do for him now!" Krystal stood, oblivious to the jets of light flying around her.

She looked up to see the Death Eaters approaching, ready to move into the castle. There might not be anything she could do for Remus, but she'd be damned if she'd leave him for them to tear apart.

She raised her hands high and summoned all the anger, all the terror she was feeling. Her eyes glowed silver as an enormous wall of white light appeared between the Light and Dark side. The Death Eaters sent a stream of hexes at it, but none broke through. The Auror's and Order members had slowed to watch, looking at her in disbelief.

Krystal looked down at Remus' motionless body. A surge of pure rage wiped her mind clear of any rational thought as she gathered all her remaining strength and slammed her hands together; letting out a scream as pain tore through her just as the wall of light exploded, creating a pulse that shook the ground; and sent the remaining Death Eaters flying metres into the air, landing with loud thuds and cracks in the forest behind them.

* * *

As her shaking legs gave way, Krystal yelled at Arthur and Kingsley, who seemed frozen in shock.

"Help me!"

Her voice broke the spell, and they rushed forward, lifting Remus at her command and moving back towards the castle.

"Krystal, move!' yelled Kingsley as he and Arthur hurried up the castle stairs. But Krystal couldn't.

Drained and full of grief, she couldn't stand. She felt as though she had left her body, watching from above as Bill Weasley raced to her side and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder like a rag doll. He ran into the castle, putting her gently on the stone floor.

"Krys…' he said, urgently. "Come on, Krys….."

He shook her, but her eyes were blank and shocked. She could hear voices around her, confused and unintelligible.

Krystal heard Fleur's voice next to her. "Krystal, please."

Bill spoke in a low tone to his wife, but Krystal heard his words. "Remus? Is he …?"

Fleur's response was lost as a cold voice resonated throughout the entrance hall.

"Krystal!" she heard Bill yell at her. She felt a sharp slap on her uninjured cheek and the sting seemed to bring her mind back. Krystal blinked and Bill came into focus as did Fleur, her face streaked with tears.

"Remus?' she said as she looked up into Bill's scarred face. His face contorted in anguish and he shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Krys. He's gone."

**A/N: Don't hate me.**


	53. Chapter 51

**Ok. So you do hate me! Please read anyway! **

* * *

Chapter Fifty one

Krystal squeezed her eyes closed and lay still, feeling the cold from the stone floor seeping into her bones. Her whole body trembled and she felt as though her insides had frozen. A wail of grief and loss rose in her throat, and she felt the sting of tears behind her eyelids. For a moment, she considered giving in to her anguish; to just lay there and cry; to walk out onto the battlefield and let them take her. For the first time in a long time, she felt the shadows stirring inside her and the temptation to allow them to take her was strong.

But Harry was still alive; he was still fighting. Forcing her emotions down, she opened her eyes and looked at Bill, who was staring at her, grief etched in his face.

"Where's Harry?" She sat up. "I have to find him."

If she concentrated on Harry; on helping him, then she wouldn't have to feel the pain - not yet.

Bill put a steadying hand on her elbow as she stood up, swaying a little.

"Do you want to see him? Remus,' he said softly at her look of confusion.

She shook her head, knowing that if she saw him, she would never be able to leave him.

"Krys, you need…" he began, grasping her arms, but she shrugged him off.

"I need Harry,' she said, her voice rising.

People turned to stare at her. She frowned as she looked around: there seemed to be too many people here.

"What's happened?' she asked. Bill looked around, his face grave.

"You Know Who called off the Death Eaters for now. He's giving Harry a chance to turn himself over."

Krystal looked at Bill, running her hands through her hair, feeling the tangle the blood had made.

"Here,' Bill said, pointing his wand at her face. She felt a hot sensation as the long, deep wound closed.

Bill stepped aside, and Krystal saw the bodies lying on the stone floor, and the grieving friends and family that crouched sobbing over them. She looked away, not able to stand the thought of Remus lying there, with no one to hold him.

As she turned, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the red headed Weasley's, kneeling at the side of one of the dead. Krystal looked back at the family, then turned questioning eyes back to Bill, who was watching her.

"Fred,' he confirmed in a low voice. "Tonks too." His hand shook as he ran it across his face, and he looked so much older than his years.

"I'm sorry, Bill,' Krystal whispered, turning away from him as she blinked back tears. "You should be with them."

Walking away, she heard him call her, but she didn't turn back. As she neared the front doors, she saw a filthy Ron and Hermione enter the hall.

"Harry?' she began to ask them, but was startled when he appeared from under his Invisibility Cloak.

"Well?' she asked, but Harry looked past her to where Fred lay. She turned automatically. She could also see Tonks from where they stood, and next to her, Remus.

Krystal quickly turned her head, shutting her eyes tight to try and erase the image of his still body from her mind. Before she'd looked away, she'd seen Fleur hovering over Remus and she was glad someone was with him. She could feel pain grip her heart and she knew that she needed to get out of there - now - before her grief floored her.

Harry was looking at her with shocked eyes. "Krys…' he began, his voice cracking.

"Don't!' she snapped, holding up her hand.

"Don't," she repeated, her voice softer and they both could hear the despair it held. "Did you do it? Find the diadem, kill the snake?"

Harry shook his head, turning away from the horrific scene to walk up the stairs.

* * *

As they walked through the castle, Harry told her how he'd destroyed the diadem, and how he, Ron and Hermione had gone to the Shrieking Shack to try and kill the snake.

"It was protected. I couldn't get near it." He hesitated, looking at Krystal with a wary expression.

"Voldemort killed Snape, Krys. I'm sorry."

Despite the gentleness of his words, Krystal felt them like a physical blow. She leant against the wall, closing her eyes against the fresh rush of sorrow that came from the death of her friend. Taking a deep, shaking breath, she pushed herself off the wall as panic took hold.

"Harry, did you talk to Severus? Before he died? Did he say anything?" Harry took a step back in the face of her urgent questioning.

"He gave me these,' he said, holding up a small vial of swirling mist.

"His memories?' Krystal asked. Harry nodded.

"I know where I can look at them,' he said, leading the way to the Headmaster's office. He poured the mixture into a Pensieve and looked at Krystal expectantly. She shook her head.

"No, Harry,' she said softly. "You need to do this alone. I'll wait outside." As she left the room, she saw Harry put his face into the bowl and disappear.

* * *

Krystal leant against the wall outside the office, sliding down to sit on the floor. Looking down, she placed her hands across her belly.

"Your father was a wonderful man,' she whispered, rubbing her stomach. "He died to protect us. I just wish you'd had a chance to get to know him."

Krystal couldn't fight the sudden overwhelming rush of pain - the tears came, as did the howl of anguish as she curled up on the hard floor, holding her belly, trying to protect her child from feeling her hurt. Her body shook uncontrollably as, for a time, she allowed grief to take her. Her sobs echoed off the stone walls as she cried for the man she'd loved all her life, and the father her child would never know.

As she lay on the cold floor, she felt a strange sensation under her hands. She struggled for control, as she felt it again, a rippling in her abdomen. Immediately, she thought the worst, but realising there was no pain, she suddenly understood. The baby was moving.

She lay still, tears drying now, holding her belly, hoping to again feel the life stir inside her. As if her unborn child knew what its mother needed, it fluttered again. The movement gave Krystal new hope and strength. There was still something for her to fight for; Remus would never forgive her if she gave up on their child's future.

* * *

When Harry emerged looking grey faced, but determined from inside the office, Krystal was standing, waiting for him.

"So now you know,' she said quietly. He nodded.

"I have to do this alone,' he whispered, looking at her pale face.

"I know, but I have a job to finish as well,' she said. "I won't come all the way, Harry. But I need to make sure you get there alive."

Krystal let out a ironic laugh at her words, Harry joining in.

'I know why he helped you now,' Harry said when their laughter faded. 'You saved him.'

Krystal closed her eyes, remembering her friend. 'He saved me too,' she said softly.

'You were right, Krys,' Harry said, looking at her. 'I can see why you trusted him; why Dumbledore trusted him. I understand now.'

"Come on,' she said, needing to do something; to distract herself from her grief. "We should go and say goodbye." But Harry shook his head and slung his Cloak over his shoulders.

"I might chicken out if I see them,' he said, his voice firm. He looked at her red eyes. "You should be with Remus." It was her turn to shake her head.

"I can't,' she said softly, her voice cracking a little. "I'm not ready to say goodbye either."

Harry clasped her hand for a second and then they moved, down the stairs. As Harry stopped to speak with Neville, Krystal chanced a glance over to where Remus had lay. Someone had moved his body, the space next to Tonks now empty. Krystal walked through the front doors, hoping Harry was in front of her. She held one of the Death Eater's wand she'd taken in front of her. There would be no more wandless magic today: she had nothing left to give.

She moved through the woods, listening carefully for the sounds of Harry's breathing and footsteps. Thoughts of Remus kept intruding on her concentration. She tried to shake them off, but they nagged at her.

'Stop it,' she told herself. Maybe putting off seeing Remus' body had been the wrong decision; she just couldn't shake the feeling that she should be with him.

'You can't help him now, she thought, her heart aching. 'But you can support Harry.'

She was startled as she heard Harry's voice right next to her.

"Krystal, wait." Krystal stopped as Harry removed the Cloak. He pulled a snitch from out of a pouch around his neck. Krystal frowned at him, not understanding as he raised it to his lips and whispered something to it. The snitch opened and Harry pulled out a ring with a black stone setting. As Krystal watched, he held it in his hand and turned it over three times.

* * *

Krystal knew something had happened as Harry looked around, a small smile on his face.

"Harry…?" Krystal began.

"They're here, everyone I love. They're here with me,' he said. She looked around but saw nothing.

"You can't see them,' Harry said. "No one else can see them."

Krystal stepped back, not quite understanding, but knowing instinctively that, however it had happened, this is what Harry needed - his family with him at the end.

After a few minutes of what looked like a one sided conversation, Harry turned to Krystal. "I have to go on with them now,' he said quietly. She nodded, knowing that her task was over. She had done her job. But she couldn't help asking….

"Harry, can you tell them…" She stopped, her voice breaking. "Can you tell them I'm sorry? And that I love them?"

Her eyes filled with tears as she said the words she'd been longing to say for eighteen years.

"They know - they forgive you.' He frowned, then smiled, shaking his head. 'Mum and dad say thank you for looking after me, and Sirius said to tell you… you're still pretty hot.'

Krystal laughed even as a sob shook her as finally, she had closure.

She hugged Harry, whispering "I couldn't love you more if you were my own, Harry."

He squeezed her, saying "I know - I love you too. Thank you - for everything. Could you…say goodbye to all of them for me?"

She nodded and pulled away, wiping at her eyes. As she backed away, she said shakily, "Can they hear me?' Harry nodded.

'I want to……,' she faltered, unable for a moment to say the words - because that would make it real.

'Tell Remus I love him? Please?" she added as he looked at her with a frown.

He turned to look at where he saw his parents and godfather standing, then smiled. "Remus isn't here,' he said, smile broadening. "Krys, he's not here because he's not dead."

Krystal looked at him with disbelieving eyes, her breath coming quickly as she whispered, "He's alive?"

As she said the words, she suddenly knew they were true.

Harry nodded. "Go."

He watched as she turned and ran back towards the castle. Then he put his Cloak back over his head, and walked into the depths of the forest.

* * *

Krystal burst back through the doors of Hogwarts, making the students in the entrance jump in fright. She spotted Fleur and Bill talking urgently and ran towards them. As she approached, Fleur looked over and seeing her, stretched out her arms to grasp Krystal's'.

"Thank God,' she exclaimed, her expression relieved. "We've been looking everywhere for you."

Bill moved to stand next to her, saying "I'm sorry, Krys, We thought he was gone…"

Krystal pulled out of Fleur's grasp, demanding, "Where is he?"

Bill stood aside and gestured to the Dining Hall. Krystal ran into the room, which was full of groaning, bleeding students and adults, injured fighting for the Light. Bill and Fleur were close behind her, and Bill touched her arm lightly, pointing off to the side to where Hermione sat, bending over a figure laid out on the floor.

She let out the breath that she'd been holding and walked hesitantly towards Hermione and the prone figure, reluctant to believe Remus was alive until she saw him herself. Hermione looked up and saw her coming, and it was her smile that made Krystal run the last few metres, dropping to her knees next to the young woman.

"Remus?' she said, her voice shaking so much, it was almost unrecognisable as hers. She leaned over and finally saw his face, grey with his scars standing out sharply against his pallor, but undeniably him. Hermione stood to allow Krystal to move closer.

As she touched Remus' face, her hands trembled. She ran her hand gently over his forehead, smoothing his hair off his face. He stirred, eye's flickering but not opening. Bill crouched next to her.

"His breathing was so shallow and his pulse was almost non existent, Krys. We missed it. Fleur saw his chest rise a little: that's how we knew he was hanging on."

Krystal nodded, not really taking in what Bill was saying, as the man continued. "We've done all we can. He's a little stronger. He needs to get to St Mungo's for treatment, but we can't get him out of here yet to Apparate."

As Bill spoke, Krystal ran her hand over Remus' chest, stopping just above his heart so she could feel it beating. Reassured by the weak, but regular thump, she took Remus' hand and moved it to her belly.

"We're here, Remus,' she whispered, pressing his hand to her. "We're both here."

Screams rang out outside the hall as the high, cold voice was heard again.

"Harry Potter is dead,' it exclaimed triumphantly. A wave of shock ran through the room as everything seemed to freeze. Krystal paid little attention as the voice continued and the room began to empty, the uninjured running into the grounds, unable to believe that The Boy who Lived was dead. Concentrating on Remus now, she lay on the ground next to him, her head on his chest, her arm across him.

She spoke quietly; telling him about feeling the baby moving, about Harry seeing the ghosts of his parents and Sirius, and how they had forgiven her for what she had done to them; telling him how brave Harry had been in the face of his impending death. Krystal kept talking; anchoring him to her voice so he couldn't drift away, even as she heard the sound of renewed battle outside. She had completed her task. She was now where she needed to be.

* * *

Soon, though, the sounds of fighting drew closer, and Krystal raised her head as she heard screams from outside the dining room doors. She frowned and stood, casting a protective spell over Remus, using the same wand she'd held earlier. As she moved towards the doors, she was shocked to see the pale, snake-like face that had haunted her dreams.

It was Voldemort, duelling with Kingsley, Charlie and an enormous man she recognised as Professor Slughorn, her old potions master. As he spun around, his red, slitted eyes found her, widening slightly in recognition. She was frozen to the spot as she saw his face contort in anger.

'You I will kill myself!' he screamed as he sent Slughorn to the ground.

A red jet of light shot over her head and she turned to see a masked Death Eater charging at her. She couldn't get out of the way quickly enough, and with a scream, was knocked flying, her head and shoulder hitting the stone wall, hard. She bounced off and landed on the ground, her vision blurring as her head throbbed in pain. Struggling to sit up, she raised the wand when she saw a hazy figure with a silver face approach her.

"Avada Kedavra!" she yelled, but she was slowly losing consciousness, the spell didn't work. She heard a loud laugh and a shouted curse, then excruciating pain tore at her, wrenching a scream from her lungs as her body bucked and convulsed.

She heard a yell, a red flash and suddenly the pain was gone. She looked groggily up at the disembodied face in front of her.

"It's me, Krys,' she heard a male voice whisper. "Stay down."

The head disappeared, just as fire suddenly burned in her abdomen, causing her to cry out and clutch at her stomach. Panic set in as she drew her knees up, moaning as another spasm of pain cut through her. Tears streamed down her face as she tried to communicate with the tiny life inside of her, asking it to please, just hang on. Pleading with it to be as brave as it's father had been.

She heard the noise around her fade, and heard two raised voices, taunting and daring each other. A crack rang out, and then cheering. The ground shook as feet stomped all around her. The burning in her belly seared, causing her to moan again. She felt a hot, wet sensation spreading down her legs and onto the floor.

Shakily, she lifted a hand that was suddenly wet and saw bright red blood. Her hand dropped to the stone floor as she felt her strength draining from her body. The haze that had impaired her vision, was replaced by a red sheen, then dark spots as she felt someone stop and kneel over her.

"Krystal?" said the same male voice she'd heard earlier, the tone now panicked. She opened her mouth to try and tell them about the baby but another, stronger jolt of pain surged through her before the black spots spread and finally overcame her.

Krystal's last cognisant thought was how much her saviour had sounded like Harry.

**A/N: Ok. Now you probably hate me for a completely different reason.**


	54. Chapter 52

_Chapter Fifty two_

_**5 Months Later**_

_Krystal smoothed the front of her dress and frowned. It was a little tighter than she thought it would be when she bought it. She pulled at the bodice, trying to adjust it so a little less cleavage was on display. Her boobs looked enormous: had she really put on that much weight? _

_She heard a soft knock on the door, and looked over her shoulder to see Fleur and Hermione in the doorway, smiling at her; Molly standing at the back, peering around them. Krystal smiled back at them and turned fully around so they could see her problem. _

"_Can someone please help me? Remus is never going to get through the ceremony unless I can cover these up a bit more,' she joked, still tugging on the low cut dress. _

_All three woman laughed and entered the room, fussing around Krystal, straightening her dress and trying to smooth wayward strands of hair. Molly pointed her wand at Krystal's breasts. _

"_Be careful, Molly,' she warned the red haired woman. "I like them the way they are." _

_Molly snorted as she magically adjusted the dress. _

"_Well, enjoy them while you've got them. They won't look like that for much longer; not once you've had the baby,' said the mother of seven as she pointed the wand now at Krystal's belly. "Hmmm, it's a little snug here too, isn't it? I didn't think our last fitting was all that long ago." _

_Krystal frowned and gritted her teeth. "It wasn't,' she admitted. _

_Must be a boy,' Molly said, knowingly. "I was bigger with the boys."_

_Hermione and Fleur, her bridesmaids, stood in front of her. Krystal looked at them, noticing their appearance properly for the first time. _

"_You both look gorgeous!' she exclaimed, noticing how well the blue dresses she'd chosen suited the women. _

"_Maybe a little too gorgeous,' she grumbled, raising an eyebrow at them, envying how thin they looked. The younger women laughed, and Molly scolded Krystal. _

"_Remus is the only one who matters and you know he can't keep his eyes off you,' she said. _

"_Or his hands,' came a male voice from the doorway. "It's revolting actually; walking in on them all over the place." _

_Krystal grinned as she saw Bill's reflection in the mirror. "Did he send you to spy again?' she asked, remembering Bill's unexpected appearance at her hen's party. _

"_Yep!' said Bill throwing himself down on the bed, his eyes on Fleur as she fixed a crown of flowers on Krystal's head. _

"_You can't tell him anything about the dress, Bill,' cut in Hermione. "It's bad luck." _

_Krystal snorted. "We certainly don't need any more of that,' she said darkly. She turned towards the reclining man and let out a breath. _

"_Well, give me a male opinion. What do you think?" _

_Bill gave her a sly grin as his gaze slid down to her chest. "I think that Remus is going to have a heart attack when he sees you,' he teased as Hermione laughed and Krystal spun around to look back into the mirror. _

_Fleur admonished her husband, who chuckled then stood and walked over to Krystal, standing behind her with his hands on her bare shoulders. _

"_You look incredible,' he said softly into her ear, his face serious now. The two had become close over the last year and his words meant a lot to her. _

_His eyes met hers in the mirror. "More importantly, you look happy. Remus is a very lucky man." _

_She smiled at him and he kissed her cheek. _

"_A very lucky, impatient man,' he said with a grin. He backed away towards the door saying in a louder voice, "See you downstairs, ladies. Don't be late, Krys. I don't think Remus' heart could handle it." _

_The door closed behind him, and Krystal frowned into the mirror. "Molly, I think this neckline __could_ come up just a little higher."

As sunset drew closer, Krystal asked to be left alone for a moment. She didn't know why she felt nervous; she had been waiting for this day for five months.

'No,' she corrected herself, smiling a little.

She'd been waiting for this day since her first trip to Hogwarts when she'd seen a scrawny, quiet Remus reading on the school train.

Her mind flashed back to those years at school. Meeting Remus and becoming friends; finding out about his lycanthropy; realising in fifth year that she wanted him in a thoroughly non platonic way; their first kiss at Sirius' house; the first time they made love, also the first time they admitted they loved each other out loud.

She smiled again, wincing a little as the scar along the side of her face twinged. She put her hand to it and frowned. The mark Bellatrix had left on her would never fade. It was a permanent reminder of the battle they'd fought; and of what that war had cost she and Remus - their baby's life.

The light in her eyes faded a little as she remembered the difficult days after the final battle. She'd remained unconscious for nearly three days: the mediwizard, Matt, warning Remus to prepare himself for the worst. Finally, she stabilised, but her daughter had not survived. Krystal remembered waking with Remus by her side, his face drawn and ashen. He broke the news gently, then crawled into bed with her as they both cried.

She blinked the tears from her eyes as she moved to the window, looking out at the blossoming tree under which the alter for their ceremony was set up. She and Remus had planted that tree when they arrived home and magically aged it. It was a living memorial for their daughter, whom they'd named Ally Savannah. Ally after Albus, who had bought them back together again; and Savannah as a tribute to Severus, who's bravery and loyalty had saved both of their lives.

Krystal ran a hand down to her abdomen, where she thought she already felt the slight swell of her growing baby. 'Remus didn't waste any time getting me pregnant again,' she thought, smiling as her mind wandered back three months ago to the night they'd conceived.

A tap at the door bought her back to the present, and she turned to see Harry standing in the doorway.

"Wow!' he said, his jaw dropping when he saw her properly.

"Is it really that hard to believe that I could look good?' she grumbled, walking to the bed and picking up her bouquet.

"No, but you look……….hot,' Harry blushed a little as he complimented her.

Krystal grinned, saying, "Gee thanks, Harry."

He grinned back at her, a little mischievously.

"I'll have to keep Charlie and Ron away from you,' he said cheekily. "That dress kinda clings at the back, and you know how much they enjoy looking at your…"

His sentence ended in a muffled laugh as Krystal smacked his arm.

"I don't think I'll have too much trouble with Ron: Hermione keeps a tight rein on him, and Charlie has promised Remus he'll keep his hands and eyes off now the ring's on my finger."

She wiggled the fingers of her left hand, the light bouncing off the engagement ring Remus had insisted on buying her.

'Oops, that reminds me,' she said, slipping it off and putting it on her right ring finger to make room for her wedding ring.

She stood in front of him and took a deep breath. Harry took her hand and tucked it under his arm.

"Are you ready?' he asked.

She smiled, as she realised she was no longer nervous.

"I'm ready."

Remus tugged at the neck of his dress shirt, feeling uncomfortable in the unfamiliar clothes. He was pacing the living room, having sent Bill in to check on Krystal. Harry was watching him, his expression amused as he lounged back against the couch.

"Remus, sit down for Merlin's sake,' he said to the older man. "She's not going to do a runner - she's crazy about you."

Remus looked at Harry, and sat down at the kitchen table. "I know. I just….. I want to be married to her - now,' he said, jumping up again to greet Aberforth Dumbledore, who had just walked up the stairs of the house.

"Hell of a trip. Why on earth does she want to live in Australia?' the man complained, shaking Remus' hand.

"I know it's a long apparition, but we both wanted the wedding here,' he said, his eyes moving past all the chairs set up on the lawn and the people that stood around there, to the large, flowering tree that stood over the alter - their daughter's memorial.

Remus stood in the doorway as Aberforth greeted Harry. He shuddered a little at the memory of the time after the battle. His injuries, although serious, were repaired easily with the right potions and charms. Krystal, though, had suffered internal bleeding that the healers found difficult to staunch. It was touch and go for a few days; Matt, who was caring for her, warning him that they may lose Krystal as well as the baby.

Remus closed his eyes as he remembered the expression on Krystal's face when he'd told her that Ally hadn't survived. He never wanted to see her look like that again. He opened his eyes, looking back out at the tree. Krystal had told him a month ago that she was pregnant again. Remus smiled a little. He was nervous about Krystal's health, it was very soon after the miscarriage, but Matt had promised to monitor her closely.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Bill behind him. His friend had an understanding look on his face.

"Krystal looks radiant,' he said to Remus in a low voice, letting him know that he knew what Remus had been thinking. Remus smiled broadly as he turned away from the veranda to look at his best man.

"What's the dress like?' he asked eagerly, Krystal having refused to tell him anything except that he'd love it.

Bill opened his mouth, but was interrupted by Hermione, who was now sitting on the couch.

"Bill…..' she said warningly.

As Fleur moved towards him, he spun back to face Remus and said quietly, "It's fantastic, especially the front."

He raised his eyebrows and moved his cupped hands to chest height, unfortunately getting spotted by Fleur, who looked furiously at him while Remus laughed.

"Come on now all of you,' Molly rushed through the kitchen, clapping her hands. "Time to get outside. Remus, come on, it's time. Bill! For goodness sake, put her down; you'll ruin her makeup,' she admonished her eldest son as he'd swept Fleur into his arms, kissing her.

"Girls, you wait here. Krystal is just about ready. Harry! Where's Harry?' The woman looked around frantically, finally spotting Harry on the veranda with his head down close to Ginny's.

"Harry,' she called. He gave Ginny a smile and quickly moved to Molly's side.

"Goodness Harry! What have you been doing, rolling in the grass? You can't walk Krystal down the aisle looking like that."

As she brushed down the back of Harry's suit, Remus suspected, given the look on Harry's face, that might have been exactly what the young man had been doing. There was a wonderfully private spot around the back. The very spot, in fact, that Krystal had conceived three months ago.

Molly left Harry alone, moving to frown at Fleur and her mussed hair. Harry smiled at Remus.

"Not long now,' he said, reassuringly. Remus nodded.

"Thank you for not minding about the change of plans,' he said.

Harry smiled and said, "I'm honoured she asked me."

Harry was supposed to be Remus' best man, but Krystal had other ideas, asking the young man if he would give her away instead.

Harry moved forward, reaching out for Remus' boutonniere which was a little crooked. He quickly pinned it straight, then looked up at Remus.

"It's really good to see you so happy, Remus,' he said, his voice a little gruff.

"You too,' the older man replied, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder. They moved at the same time, hugging each other tight for a moment before Molly came and shooed Remus outside, and Harry to collect the bride.

Remus' foot repeatedly tapped on the ground as he sat waiting at the alter. Bill glanced over at him, then put his hand firmly on Remus' knee, giving him a 'cease and desist' look. Remus stopped, and grimaced in apology, looking over his shoulder.

"What if she _has_ changed her mind?" he said, turning to Bill, his voice low and uncertain.

"She hasn't changed her mind,' Bill said in a reassuring voice. There was a few seconds of silence between the men, then…

"She's taking too long,' Remus complained, looking over his shoulder again.

"Remus, it's been about three minutes. Give her a chance to get out here - that dress is pretty tight. I don't know how she can breathe." Remus turned to look at Bill.

"How tight?' he asked, all too easily imagining Krystal in a skin tight dress.

"See for yourself,' Bill replied with a smile, standing as he looked down the aisle.

Remus stood as well, turning to see Hermione standing at the other end of the aisle. Bill pushed him gently in the back and they both moved to stand in front of the minister, who smiled at them. Remus looked back towards the house and saw Fleur walking carefully down the stairs. She saw Remus and Bill waiting and gave them a wide smile as she joined Hermione. Music flowed from the enchanted harp near the pulpit, as Krystal and Harry stepped out onto the veranda.

Everyone stood and Remus craned his neck to see as Krystal stepped down and stood at the top of the aisle. As her caught her eye, a wide grin spread across his face and he felt his nerves disappear. She smiled back at him, a wonderful, happy smile, before his view of her was blocked by Hermione, who was walking towards him and Bill.

He saw Hermione smile at him, and then look over to the guests, finding Ron in the crowd and giving him a little wave. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bill stand taller as Fleur started down the aisle. She only had eyes for her husband as she approached the two men, blowing Bill a kiss as she moved to stand beside Hermione. Remus now looked up the aisle to get his first uninhibited view of Krystal.

He forgot to breath for a moment as he watched her walk slowly towards him on Harry's arm. Her dark brown hair was loose, framing her face, cascading over her shoulders in waves. That had been his one request - he loved her hair down. A ring of white flowers encircled her head. Her strapless dress was simple but beautiful, following all the curves of her body, then flowing gently to her ankles.

His heart rate sped up as he allowed his eyes to wander down, seeing exactly what Bill had meant about the front of her dress being fabulous. He thought he could see her already slightly rounded baby belly and felt a surge of primal satisfaction.

She was smiling at him, her whole face lit up and he grinned back, unable to contain his joy. When Harry and Krystal reached he and Bill, Remus couldn't help himself. He knew it wasn't what he was supposed to do, but he leaned over and kissed her, feeling her wrap her arms around him as she responded enthusiastically.

As he raised his head, he heard the clapping and cat calls from the wedding guests and Bill's snigger from beside him made him chuckle.

"You're trying to kill me with that dress, aren't you?' he whispered, his voice rough with desire. She gave a soft laugh and moved closer to allow her lips brush over his.

"You'll have to make an honest woman out of me first,' she began softly, as the minister cleared his throat, trying to get their attention. "But if you're good, I'll let you rip it off me later."

As she pulled away, he saw the heat in her eyes and felt his knees go weak with longing. Once the guests had settled down, the minister began to speak.

"Well, we seem to have gotten the order of events backwards,' he said, getting a chuckle from the crowd. "Let's try again, shall we?"

Remus couldn't tear his eyes away from Krystal's as the minister spoke. It felt as if the rest of the world had melted away and they were the only two people left on earth. When Harry responded "I do" to the question, "Who gives this woman to this man?", he and Krystal were jolted out of their own world, turning to Harry. He had a huge grin on his face as he leaned over and kissed Krystal on the cheek, and clapped Remus on the shoulder. He moved to stand beside Bill as the minister continued with the ceremony.

Remus and Krystal both responded with firm, clear "I do's" when asked if they came to each other willingly, and Remus took his time sliding her ring on her finger, running his thumb over her inside wrist, hearing her intake of breath. She gave him a sly smile when it was his turn, stroking his finger in a way that made him bite his lip to stop a groan escaping.

Finally, the minister held his wand over them and declared them bonded, sparks and stars surrounding them. Before the man could say, "You may kiss the bride", Remus had pulled Krystal to him, and was kissing her, his arms wrapped tightly around her, lifting her off the ground. The crowd applauded and, as the kiss deepened, Remus felt Bill poke him in the side and say, "Mate, save something for tonight."

Two hours later the party was in full swing. Krystal was dancing with Bill, and Remus with Fleur. Harry and Ginny were swaying together, as were Ron and Hermione. Charlie, Hagrid and Aberforth were laughing loudly off to the side of the dance floor, and Arthur was talking with Kingsley and Matt. Molly had convinced Percy to dance with her, and George had disappeared with his date, Angelina. Neville, Dean and Seamus were watching Luna dance alone, shaking their heads. Several other members of the Order were sitting at tables, finishing dessert and reminiscing. Remus and Bill exchanged partners, both women smiling at their husbands as they took them in their arms.

"It took nearly twenty years, but you finally got me down the aisle,' said Krystal, running her hand down to rest on the small of his back. 'Are you happy, now?'

"Move that hand a few inches lower and I'll be in heaven, Mrs Lupin,' he murmured into her ear, his lips brushing her skin as he spoke.

As he called her by her new name, she felt a tremor and heat rushed through her.

"I like the sound of that,' she said into his neck. "Makes me hot."

Remus drew his head back and stared at her, his breath coming faster. "Is that right?' he said quietly with a hungry look in his eyes.

He lowered his head to ask against her lips, "Exactly how hot, Mrs Lupin?"

Her own breath quickening, she told him, graphically. When she stopped speaking, he stared at her for a moment, looking a little stunned. Then he grabbed her hand and pulled her up to the front of the tent.

"Excuse me!' he called over the noise. "Excuse me!" He called louder, the noise fading as the guests turned to look at him.

"My wife and I,' he stopped as a cheer arose from the crowd. "My wife and I would like to thank everyone for coming tonight, and thank you for your good wishes. Stay as long as you like, feel free to make use of the house, drink our booze and eat our food, but please excuse us now. We would really like to start our honeymoon!"

There was a laugh from the crowd and cheers from some of the younger men. Remus grinned and pulled Krystal with him as he sought out Harry. He saw him sitting with Ron and Hermione at a table.

"Hey!' he greeted them as they reached the table.

"You know where everything is, right?' Remus asked.

Harry had agreed to stay at the house and look after it while he and Krystal were away.

"Yeah! I've got the keys; I've been warned about the strange wildlife, and told not to throw any wild parties."

Krystal spoke quickly as Remus waved and began to pull her away. "You know how to contact us?"

Harry nodded as Remus called out warningly, "Don't contact us!"

Harry grinned and Krystal laughed and waved as she followed Remus.

Wishes of good luck rang out as the newlyweds moved out of the crowd, Remus grasping Krystal's hand as she spun on the spot, apparating them away.


	55. Chapter 53

**This is the last chapter. I really hope you've enjoyed it. It's my baby and I hope you like it. Thanks to my loyalist of reviewers, MoonNightLover and The Fleaks who have read every bloody chapter!! Thanks to all who've read and reviewed, or just read. (Still not too late too review!) Cheers.**

**Warning: One last roll in the hay before we leave them. Oh and slight cheesiness probably in the last section. ;-)**

* * *

Chapter Fifty three

Krystal smelt salt water as the suffocating sensation of apparition lifted. She looked around and saw that they had appeared on the deserted beach that was spread out in front of their cabin. A look at Remus told her he was pleased with her choice of honeymoon location.

"This is beautiful, Krys. Where are we?" he asked as he put his arms around her.

"A little island off the east coast. Very private, very secluded, no one else around for miles."

He smiled. "Really?' he asked.

She nodded. "Really,' she confirmed, letting out a little shriek of surprise as he fell to the sand, pulling her down on top of him.

"In that case,' he said, running his hands over her back, stopping on her butt, "I think it's time I got to rip that dress off you."

She laughed before his lips found hers, his tongue urgently seeking entry to her mouth. A spark of desire caught hold and she joined him in his frantic attempts to remove their clothing. His jacket was discarded hastily and she pulled his shirt straight over his head, not bothering with the buttons. As she worked on his pants, his hands found the zip of her dress and he yanked it down roughly; pulling the bodice away from her body. He raised himself and his mouth latched onto a breast, sucking her nipple into his mouth. Momentarily distracted from getting his pants off, she sucked in a breath as she felt his tongue and teeth tease first one breast, then the other.

As his mouth moved up her body, she renewed her attempts to strip him, finally undoing the belt and fly and she raised herself, pulling his pants down. Remus pushed them the rest of the way, taking his shoes off with them. He grabbed the hem of her dress and dragged it over her head, cursing loudly when he saw that, as she'd told him earlier, she wasn't wearing any underwear, only stockings and a suspender belt.

'Fuck!' he exclaimed in awe, running his hands up the silky stockings. Krystal laughed and leaned over to kiss him hard.

'That's the plan,' she murmured, reaching over to take her heels off, but Remus stopped her, running his hands over them.

"Leave them on,' he said, his voice like sandpaper as his urgency grew. She gave him a cheeky grin and bit his lip, enjoying his response as he groaned again.

Her fingers found his nipples as she sucked the skin on his neck into her mouth. She felt his hands squeeze her butt, lifting her slightly and then lower her straight onto him. As he slid completely into her, she moaned loudly, shutting her eyes as she was nearly undone by the sensation. Remus too, stopped, fighting for control as he felt her muscles clenching around him.

"Don't move,' he ordered, his voice harsh as she wriggled on him.

"Uh uh,' she whispered, as she began to move. "I'm on top, I make the rules."

She kissed him, their lips duelling as their movements grew faster, all restraint quickly lost. Her breasts were rubbing against his chest, driving him mad and, knowing he was close to the end, his hand slipped down between them, stroking her once, and sending her crashing into release. Hearing her cry out sent him over the edge, he grasped her hips and pulled her tighter to him as he exploded, his moans joining hers as they lost track of all reality.

Breathing hard, Remus fell back to the sand, Krystal falling with him. They lay in silence for several minutes, listening to the ocean as their breathing became regular. Remus ran his hands up and down her back as the wind picked up, cooling their sweaty bodies and making them shiver.

"We should go in,' he murmured into her hair.

"Mmm, she agreed reluctantly, moving off him and starting to gather her clothes. "Come on then,' she called, pulling her shoes off and walking completely naked, apart from the stockings, to the cabin that stood on the edge of the beach. He watched her approvingly as the moonlight hit her, making her skin glow. She turned and saw him still laying on the beach.

"That's alright. I could just finish this honeymoon on my own,' she teased, her hand sliding up her thigh slowly.

Jumping to his feet, he grabbed his clothes and raced up to the cabin, seizing her around the waist and lifting her up into his arms.

"I've got to carry you over the threshold,' he murmured. She smiled and pushed open the door, kissing him gently as he walked through the doorway and slid her body down his.

"I love you, Krys,' he said backing her onto the bed and lowering her down, his body resting lightly against hers. She smiled as his mouth came down on hers and whispered against his lips, "I love you too."

* * *

**Five and a half years later**

Harry jumped as he heard the scream from inside the room, knocking the toddler over who had been trying to crawl onto his lap.

"Harry!' admonished Ginny, as she bent to pick up the two and a half year old who was looking stunned at finding herself on her butt.

"No, I've got her,' insisted Harry, quickly scooping up the child before she could decide whether to laugh or cry. He threw her up in the air, making her giggle, and said "Sorry, Katie Lillian."

Ginny smiled and sat back into her chair, next to a serious looking five year old, who had her nose stuck in a book.

A loud curse came from the room off the hall. Katie slid off Harry's lap and repeated the word, sending Harry into a fit of laughter.

"Katie, you shouldn't say that word,' Ginny began, trying to hide her own smile as the child immediately swore again, giggling at herself.

"Harry, help,' Ginny ordered as Katie started to chant the word, laughing as she twirled in the hallway.

Suddenly, there was a flash a white light and Katie fell on her bottom again, shocked into silence.

"Mummy said you shouldn't use those words,' said the now standing older child.

"Mummy say no magic, Will,' said Katie turning to look at Harry with indignation. "She use magic, Uncle Harry."

"No underage magic, Willow; and no swearing, Katie,' said a stricter Aunt Ginny, frowning at Harry, who was still chuckling. Willow glared at her sister then sat down, picking up the book she'd dropped and resumed her reading.

"What are you reading?' Harry asked Willow, who lowered the book with a put upon sigh.

"Beetle Bailey stories," she replied, handing the book to Harry. He flicked through the pages, reading the inscription inside the front cover: _'__To Willow Jaimee Lupin, Happy 5__th__ Birthday, Love from Hermione and Ron__'_.

Willow enjoyed spending time with Hermione, and Harry's friend was happy to have someone to mentor.

"Hermione used to always give me books for my birthday as well,' he said with a smile, handing the book back. Willow smiled at him, and sat back in her chair.

* * *

As Willow opened the book again he watched her, struck again by how much she resembled Remus: both in looks and personality; with the exception of her eyes, which were not her father's deep blue, but a bright, piercing blue.

Willow was quiet and clever, spending most of her time reading, particularly enjoying learning about defensive magic, and could already beat both Harry and her father at wizard chess. Even Ron, dedicated chess player, confessed to Harry that she almost had him beaten a couple of times. She had a mischievous streak though, and had masterminded pranks that made her father secretly boast to Harry about her ingenuity.

'Must be the Marauder in her,' Harry thought with a grin.

He remembered how pleased he was when Remus told him Willow's middle name was in memory of Harry's father - one of Remus' best friends and fellow mischief maker; her first name for Willow's godfather, Bill Weasley, who had helped save both Krystal and Remus' lives some years ago.

The young girl already proved to have her mother's gift of wandless magic, and, as Willow looked up and grinned at him, he suspected she also shared her mother's ability to read minds. A loud giggle from the end of the hallway distracted him, as he turned to smile at Remus and Krystal's younger child.

Katherine Lillian, named in honour of two women: Krystal's mother Katherine, and her friend, Harry's mum, Lily Potter. Bright and bubbly, always bouncing and always laughing; Harry could see so much of Krystal's personality in the girl. She was, in looks, a combination of her parents: Krystal's features, with Remus' eyes and colouring. The little girl already showed both parent's Gryffindor character traits as well: fiercely loyal like her father and as protective as a lioness, just like her mother. And, like her mother, Katie had everyone who met her wrapped quickly around her little finger.

Harry heard another muffled cry from the birthing rooms and looked at Ginny. He smiled at her, receiving one in return. He loved spending time with his friend's children. It was difficult sometimes: Krystal and Remus having decided to raise their children in Australia. It had been easier for Remus to get work in the foreign country - teaching defence with Krystal at a local wizarding school. But they visited often, and had just spent the Easter break with the Weasleys. Harry had enjoyed watching his father's oldest friend playing with the children he never thought he'd have, and he hoped that one day soon, he could be as good a father as Remus was.

He felt a little stab as he wondered who Remus and Krystal would choose as godparents for this new baby. He felt slightly petty, but he was a little sad he hadn't been asked to perform that role for either of his friends girls. He quickly shook off the thought: Krystal and Remus both included him in their lives; he had come to think of them as a combination of friends and parental figures, and their girls both called him 'uncle'.

* * *

He moved to sit next to his wife, saying quietly, "It's taking longer than the others, isn't it?'

Ginny checked her watch and laughed. "Harry, she's only been in the labour room an hour, give her a chance."

Willow put down her book, looking at them.

"Do you think it will be a boy? I'd quite like a brother,' she said. Harry and Ginny smiled, amused by how much she sounded like Hermione sometimes.

"No!' came the cry from down the hall where Katie was hiding under a chair. "Boys are yucky and smelly. I want a girl baby!"

Harry let out a roar. "What! Are you saying I'm yucky and smelly? I might just have to tickle you now!"

He jumped up and ran to where Katie was trying frantically to get out from her hiding spot, squealing with delight as Harry caught her, tickling her until she begged for mercy. Ginny laughed and Willow shook her head, rolling her eyes at the display.

"You're so immature,' she called to her sister and honorary uncle, eyes widening as Harry put Katie down and turned on her.

"Immature? Are you calling me immature, Willow James?' he said, calling her by the hated masculine version of her middle name.

"Don't call me that, Uncle Harry…No!' she cried as Harry lunged at her.

"Don't tickle me!' she pleaded, as Harry picked her up and flung her over his shoulder, spinning until a giggling Willow threatened to throw up on him.

"Harry!' Ginny scolded him, as the noise level grew. "This is a hospital, be quiet."

As she spoke they heard a loud guttural scream and then silence, before a baby's cry rang out. All four people in the waiting room stood in shock for a moment, before breaking out into huge smiles.

"Yay!" Willow abandoned her mature attitude and jumped up and down with her sister in excitement. Ginny tried to settle them down, as Harry approached the door of the birthing rooms, waiting for word on mother and baby. Over the past five years, Krystal had become a mother figure to him; Harry jokingly calling her 'mum' when she scolded him. He was impatient to make sure everything had gone well.

The door opened and Remus stepped out, his face tired, but his joy unmistakable. He grinned broadly when he saw Harry.

"It's a boy!' he exclaimed, a trace of disbelief in his voice.

Although he and Krystal had always said they didn't care what sex their children were as long as they arrived safely; deep down, after their girls, they had hoped for a boy to complete their family.

Harry cheered and hugged the older man.

"Congratulations, Remus!' he said, happily. He pulled away, slightly. "Everyone alright?' he asked seriously.

Remus smiled again. "Perfect,' he confirmed.

Ginny joined them, also hugging Remus, before his children ran at him, wrapping their small arms around him and chattering excitedly about their new baby brother.

"Is mummy ok? She was yelling a lot,' asked Willow, seriously.

"Yes she was, Will. Your mum's not one to keep her feelings to herself anymore. But she's fine, honey. Uncle Matt's just helping her clean up."

He lifted his oldest daughter and kissed her cheek; his own 'mini me' smiling back at him.

"Me too!' called Katie, hating to be left out. Remus laughed and picked up the two year old.

"Mummy said a naughty word,' she told him as he kissed her forehead.

"Mummy nearly broke Daddy's hand,' Remus muttered as he put down both girls. "And threatened to tear me a new one if I ever got her pregnant again.'

He smiled a little as he straightened. "I was thinking maybe a year between babies next time - what do you reckon? We're not getting any younger,' he said to Harry, who grinned.

"A new one what?' said Willow, curiously as Matt came out of the room behind them.

"You can go in now, but keep the noise down,' he said, smiling at the group, his face lighting up as his goddaughter Katie ran at him. He picked her up and clapped Remus on the shoulder; giving him a quick hug.

Matt had become a good friend and had delivered all of Remus and Krystal's children, including his goddaughter, and their first daughter, Ally, who had not survived the war in which her parents had fought. Krystal insisted on Matt for her births, and he got permission to practice at the nearest wizarding hospital, who were trying to convince him to stay.

"Who wants an ice cream?' he said to the two overexcited girls.

As they yelled excitedly, Matt turned to Remus, "I'll take them and settle them down a little before they see Krys."

Remus smiled his thanks and he, Harry and Ginny entered the room.

* * *

Harry saw Krystal laying against the white pillows, her hair looking very dark against her pale face. She turned at the sound of the door opening, and smiled a tired but happy smile at the trio.

"Hi!' she whispered, looking down at the bundle in her arms. "Come and meet the latest addition."

Remus stood back a little as Harry and Ginny moved to stand next to the bed, both of them giving Krystal a quick hug.

"Oh Krys, he's gorgeous!' Ginny sighed, moving her hand to the baby's head and stroking gently.

"Just like his mum,' said Remus, unable to resist boasting and moved around to the other side of the bed. He kissed Krystal on the top of the head, his pride obvious.

"How big, what's his name? Come on - we want all the details,' Harry said, staring down at the little boy, slightly nervous as Krystal told him to hold out his arms.

Krystal handed Harry the baby and lay back against the pillows with a grimace.

"Molly was right; boys are bigger,' she said, wriggling to try and get comfortable. "He was 9 pounds - the biggest baby yet, and the last,' she added, looking over at Remus who had been grinning cheekily, but quickly rearranged his face and nodded soberly.

"He looks just like you, Krys,' Harry broke in, amazed by the newborn's resemblance to his mother.

"He really does,' agreed Ginny. 'It's uncanny.'

"He's got his father's eyes,' said Krystal, who laughed softly as Remus smiled, leaning over to check if the baby was awake.

After a few more minutes, Ginny excused herself, saying she would find Matt and help him with the children. Harry was still holding the baby, tickling his cheek, while Remus curled up next to Krystal on the bed. He stroked her hair, murmuring softly into her ear, making her smile.

"You never said what you were going to call him. Did you decide eventually?' asked Harry, who found it hard tearing his eyes away from the little boy. Krystal and Remus had always been particularly evasive about boys names, telling everyone who asked that they hadn't made a decision.

There was a moment of silence, and Harry looked up to see Krystal and Remus exchange a glance.

"What?' said Harry. "Don't tell me you still haven't made up your minds!"

Remus shook his head as Krystal said softly, "No. We decided years ago what we wanted to call our son when he arrived."

She looked at Remus, giving him her silent blessing to share the name they'd chosen. "We hoped you wouldn't mind; I mean, maybe you and Ginny may want to use the names for your child when you decide….."

Krystal broke in. "Remus, just tell him,' she said impatiently, looking closely at Harry's face.

"We decided we'd like to call him Sirius,' said Remus quietly. "Sirius Harry Lupin."

Harry stared at the two of them for a minute, unable to find any suitable words.

"You hate it,' said Krystal, her eyes worried.

"If you wanted to use those names, Harry…." began Remus. But Harry quickly shook his head.

"No,' he said, his voice a little scratchy. "I……I like it." He smiled at them, a lump forming in his throat as he looked down at the tiny, dark haired boy. He was touched that they wanted to name their long awaited son after him and his godfather.

Remus cleared his throat and continued.

"And we wanted to ask you…….it seems fitting if you…." Krystal's patience ended, and she interrupted her husband.

"Would you be his godfather, Harry? Would you and Ginny be Sirius' godparents?"

Harry smiled again. "I would be honoured to be his godfather,' he said quietly and Remus and Krystal grinned.

"We were waiting to ask you. We thought we'd have to have a boy eventually, and we knew we wanted to name him after you and Sirius and we thought it was fitting that you were his godfather. I'm sorry it took so long - I know you must have wondered why we hadn't asked you yet,' explained Remus, answering a question Harry had asked himself.

"Thank God it was a boy this time, though,' Krystal added, obviously relieved. "I love our children but I think three is more than enough, so if this one had been a girl…..well, let's just say that I'm glad I didn't have to ruin her life by calling her Sirius Harriet."

Harry and Remus laughed, and Sirius fidgeted. Ginny walked back through the door, with Willow, closely followed by Matt carrying a squirming Katie.

"Mommy!' they called, earning themselves a hurried "Shhh!" from all the adults.

They gave Krystal a cuddle, Willow wasting no time in dobbing on Katie for swearing earlier. Katie retaliated by mentioning that Willow had used magic, causing a fierce, but quick squabble, broken up by an ever patient Remus.

Harry drew their attention to the bundle in his arms, and their disagreement was soon forgotten as the sisters clamoured to see Sirius. The girls had a quick hold of their new baby brother and gave their approval to his name.

"Sirius is the name of a star,' Willow told them, surprising them yet again with her knowledge.

"Yes it is,' said Remus, crouching down beside his oldest daughter, who was sitting on a chair, holding her brother. "But it was also the name of one of my best friends when I was a little boy."

Krystal smiled at him as he stroked his son's head gently.

"The one who could turn into a dog!' said Katie, excitedly, bouncing up and down on her mother's lap, causing Krystal to wince in pain.

Harry quickly picked her up and gave her a cuddle, saying, "That's right, and he was my godfather."

Willow looked up at Harry and smiled. "And now you're Sirius' godfather,' she said.

Harry smiled at her. "Yes I am."

* * *

Harry and Ginny had left soon after. They were looking after Willow and Katie while Krystal was in hospital. Matt checked Krystal was recovering, and supervised Sirius' first feed as Remus contacted everyone to let them know mother and child were doing well. Matt took a sleeping Sirius to the nursery, promising to return him later if Krystal 'would just get some rest'. She swore she'd try, and Matt left, after threatening to throw Remus out if he didn't let her get at least a day's rest before starting on the next baby.

Krystal moved over on the bed, as Remus slid in next to her, rolling on his side and wrapping his arms around her.

"You did good, Mrs Lupin,' he mumbled into her hair, his lips brushing her temple. "He is just perfect."

Krystal smiled and murmured her agreement, her eyes closing as a day of labour took it's toll. Remus, too, felt sleep creeping up quickly.

He kissed his wife's head, whispering, "I love you."

Krystal smiled. "I love you too."

**A/N: Fin.**


End file.
